Brave Frontier - Summoning Woes
by glenn.paolo.7
Summary: Summoning Woes, Entrance and Ephemeral are three loosely connected one-shots weaved into a simple comedy tale. Titled Summoning Woes, it tells of a Summoner by the name of Klavier in his struggles with the god's invasion, empire politics and the need to keep his identity a secret from his companions. Final chapter has been released. The story is completed.
1. One Shot 1 - Summoning Woes

Summoning. That was the one word that kept escaping the countless mouths of many around him. Surely it was a big deal, being the talk in everyone's topics. It revolved around something about reclaiming the land that the Fallen Gods have taken from them and the notion that it was high time to strike back at their enemies. Summoning had kept these people alive, most notably because the Fallen Gods were not just fighting the Summoners themselves, but together with revived great heroes of the past.

But for him, this could only be achieved in his dreams. He flunked test after test in spite of his diligence and persistence. In the latest blow to his ego, even the most lenient teacher gave him a giant "F" on the written examination paper for all to see. He dragged his feet across the hallway, enduring the sneers and jeers of his fellow classmates as the exam paper dangled loosely on his right hand. Perhaps he wasn't up for the task. Perhaps his talent was somewhere else.

"Hoi!" a medium-low pitched voice called from behind. "Wait up!"

He turned around at once, dumping the dreadful emotion whirling in his heart for a split second. "Karl?"

"Yo, Klavier," he smiled, panting as though he just ran through a marathon. "How did it go?"

"Not good," Klavier looked at his paper again. "At this rate, I'll really need to drop out."

"Life's got to be so hard on you now, huh?" Karl rested his arm over Klavier's shoulders. "Hey, I've got something to tell you. Come closer."

"What is it?"

"I just got five gems."

"Really? Those are crazy expensive stuff!"

"Shh! Not over here," they looked up, returning their glares to the public. "It's for you."

"What? Hey, don't talk nonsense here. I don't deserve this."

"Well, we did make a promise didn't we? You said you'd do your best, and that's what you did, right?"

"Um," he glanced at the paper. "I guess so."

"Come on, there'll always be time to catch up. But first, to the Summon Gate!"

The Summon Gate. Famous for either eating into Summoner's pocket money or providing the best fighters known in the whole land. He wasn't particularly interested in it, partly because he lacked the cash to hire these mercenaries. At times when he did get it, the gate would almost always return him units of lower caliber. He envied the elders for having almost everything they wanted - money, power, fame and so much more. Now was the time to attempt at an impossible task of getting a revolutionary unit. His heart pounded with anxiety but at the same time, with excitement. Karl's humble gift would go a long way this time around. This summon better not disappoint him.

"Well," Klavier clapped his hands together as he tossed the jewels into an automated box that mixed the contents within to provide him with a worn-out yellow movie ticket. "Here goes nothing!"

The container seized the ticket the moment it went close to its mouth. Darkness shrouded his surroundings, leaving absolutely nothing left for him to see. He heard no noise, not even his beating heart or his increasingly erratic breath. A bright red light shone right before him, unleashing a powerful gust of wind that threatened to throw him off. He fought against the force, walking ever so slowly towards the massive, majestic red gate. With a gentle touch to the door, it burst open, practically blinding him with its unforgiving beam.

As the shine dimmed, his eyes made out the silhouette of another human being. It appeared to be a head taller than him and had a curvy figure. That person had to be a girl. A pleasant-looking one, and hopefully a temper just as nice.

He took a step forward, emerging out of the shroud of light for his eyes to feast on a dual-croissant-haired blonde woman wearing a bareback gladiator armor with a dark chocolate skirt fitted with white frills on its ends. On her hands were two menacing glowing red axes and a set of fiery red eyes glaring at him so intensely that it felt like she impaled him with just the stare.

"H~uh?!" she placed her hands on her hips. "What kind of joke is this?"

"Err," he scratched his head. "Um. Hi?"

"Don't 'hi' me! Who are you?"

"I'm Klavier. And you are?"

"Another geek from my dreams. How did 'you' summon me? Whatever! If you don't keep me happy, I'll just go home!"

"W-Wait!" he broke into a sprint as she stomped away.

"What?!"

"Listen to me will you?"

He was about to move towards her when a rock knocked his foot aside. As if his body knew what to do all along, he grabbed her, crashing to the ground with his face sunk into something soft and warm. He squeezed it briefly only for her to grunt. It was then that he realized he shouldn't have done that.

"Hey idiot," she said, her words carrying nothing but anger. "Where do you think you're touching?"

"Waaa! I can explain! I can-"

A cracking sound shattered the silence. He touched his cheek, igniting the intense pain on it. His body was most definitely not lying to him - he just got slapped. To make it worse, it was from a pretty lady.

"Hmph! Don't ever call me again! You hear me?!" she kicked his face, rushing back to the gate.

"W-Wait! I'm sorry," he shouted as the gate closed on him. "I didn't do it on...purpose…"

That was a first. Getting laid by a woman who downright hated him for his mistakes. There was no way an average lady would forgive a man like him for doing something like that. He knocked on the door, trying to reach her but there was no answer. After what felt like an hour, he decided that it was time to call it quits. He walked back from where he came from, watching the environment around him sketched itself back into life. Karl rushed over the moment their eyes met, unable to hide a silly smile.

"So how was it? Did you get a good one?"

"She rejected me, Karl."

"Rejected? What do you mean?"

"It's as I said. She doesn't want me. Hey," Klavier stared at Karl. "Am I really cut up for this?"

"Would it comfort you if I were to say you are?"

"I don't know."

"Man, you sure have it hard," he patted Klavier on the back. "I guess it's a bit sudden on her part that you are her master now. By the way, how did she look like?"

Klavier described the appearance from head to toe, watching Karl's mouth hang open bit by bit.

"Oh god, Klavier, do you know who she is?"

"No."

"She's the legendary Michele, holding the title of 'Red Axe'! Klavier," he seized him by the shoulders. "She's probably the most powerful we've ever seen."

"Really?"

"Tomorrow is the Summoning lesson right? Elder Grah is conducting right?"

"Yeah."

"That's good. You should summon her. You'll make everyone envious!"

"But I'm not here to make people envy me."

"Oh that's right. I forgot. Well, at least you can try to match up with the better students now. Come on," Karl lifted his chin. "Cheer up will you? Don't give up just because she doesn't want to follow you. Give her time. She'll learn to understand your intentions."

"I suppose you're right."

"I'll be there if you need help. So, don't you ever lose to that inner demon of yours."

The next day came in a crash. Klavier smashed the alarm clock blaring at his ear. A little more and he would have had a temporary hearing loss. He pulled himself out of the sack, tidying his room before donning on his denim jacket on top of his white undershirt which was complemented with slim-fit jeans and a pair of military black boots. He stared at himself in the mirror. His reflection mouthed the words "Today is the day." He was yet to understand the renewed energy flowing in him, but he was certain that something big was going to happen. Then again, would the woman he summoned the day earlier listen to him?

"Ho ho! You guys are up early," Elder Grah said as he levitated off the ground for everyone to see. "Such energy from the youth. Now, shall we begin with a handshake?"

"But Elder Grah, there are so many of us," one of Klavier's classmates said. "How are we supposed to do that?"

"Ho ho, I was just joking there. Now, here is the real thing. I don't need to tell you all what to do."

His classmates raised both their hands to chest level, pointing to where they were facing. They mumbled a small set of incantations, coloring the room with magical circles of yellow, red and rainbow. Some unlucky people had their summon circles as greyish which made Elder Grah shake his head.

"Klavier," Grah looked at him. "Are you not joining us?"

"I-In a second, please."

"Very well."

He raised both his hands, joining them together as a powerful gust surrounded him. His red-lit summon circle joined the rest of the class, but seemed to appear distorted. Grah's eyes on him only seemed to mount the pressure. He was losing his concentration and consciousness fast to the immense power of summoning. No, he was not going to go down without bringing out his unit out.

"Ho," Grah's eyes narrowed. "This looks interesting."

"...Heed my call," a surge of power roared around Klavier. "Red Axe Michele!"

"Yeah," her voice echoed across the room. "I heard you."

As if materializing out of thin air, the dual-croissant-haired woman emerged from the summoning circle. She seized her axes stowed at her back, drawing it out with the most friction possible in a vainly attempt to attract attention.

"My hearing will turn bad if you shout like that," she dug her ears, swinging the axe indiscriminately. "So, where's the enemy? Um," she turned around. The smile on her face disappeared at once.

"Hi," Klavier waved.

"Ehh?!" she loosened the grip on her axes so much that it dangled loosely on her wrists.

"Yeah. It's me again."

"I-I was summoned by this pervert?" the remark attracted a wave of 'oh' and 'uhh'.

"H-Hey," Klavier placed his hands on his hips. "I did say that it was an accident. And I did say I was sorry."

"Sorry my foot," she looked away briefly when her lips curled. "Maybe I'll forgive you."

"Really?"

"If you lick my boots!"

_That evil woman_, his subconscious hissed. He was in the wrong after all, so if he actually did it, maybe it would fix things. He heaved a sigh, tossing his pride aside as he went down to his knees, reaching out for her boots.

"W-What are you doing?" Michele asked.

"I'm doing as you asked."

She yanked her foot, knocking the metal onto his nose that left him rolling on the floor in pain.

"Idiot! Idiot, idiot, idiot! You're a terrible Summoner, you know," she said.

"I know," Klavier stood up, wiping the blood off his nose. "I need some guidance. Will you help me?"

"Ho ho!" Elder Grah said. "This is interesting indeed! A Summoner asking for strength by his summoned? Very interesting!"

"Tch. I'll be sure you'll face hell if you don't make me happy," Michele pointed her axe at Klavier.

"I'll do my best," he cracked a smile as the class entered into a frenzy of murmurs. Michele looked away, her face reddening slightly.

"Very well," Grah landed softly on the floor. "Now that we all have our summoned units, I shall begin my lesson."

"Hey," Michele whispered at Klavier's ear. "I didn't sign up for this."

"I'm really sorry. I'm still a student."

"No wonder you're so shitty."

"Thanks," the muscles on his cheeks twitched as a wicked smile surfaced on his face.


	2. One Shot 2 - Entrance

Things ought to go well now. Okay, maybe not with all the destruction done when Zellha was berserk. The authorities naturally found blame on Klavier for not being able to contain her power. They took one step further, making the most unreasonable demand to a mere student - to pay up twenty million zel or face expulsion.

While the huge fee was something to make a fuss out of, it was not all that bad to him. The experiences he had got him to write even more songs in a span of a single day, notably from the tough training with Michele, the intensity of his fear when he fought Zellha and the love that he freely gave away that ultimately calmed her down.

He sat on the bench in front of the piano, testing the arranged music notes he made for himself when he heard the door creaked open.

"What's up?" Klavier asked as he played on as if he was never disturbed in the first place.

"We've been told by Elder Grah about your situation," Zellha replied. "It's a huge debt to clear."

"I'm still finding ways around it but right now, I've kind of hit a wall. The school festival is coming up and there's a lot of preparations needed so I'll think about it when the event is over."

"School festival? What's it about?" Michele asked.

"It's a once-a-year event held by the school to raise funds for the school activities. We're quite high profile if you look at it, with the hype of summoning still high in the air and more recently, the need to renovate the destroyed areas," Zellha looked down on the floor as when he said that. "I'm yet to register for anything significant though."

"You play the piano, right?" Michele asked. "Why not you do a set of performances?"

Zellha snapped her fingers. "That's a great idea! You could even get the band to assist you to make excellent music!"

"Heh, even a dumb person can outwit you."

"Oh?" Zellha smirked, suppressing the obvious desire to laugh. "You finally acknowledge your stupidity."

"What did you say?"

"Don't look at me like that. You started it. So, let's get onto pulling through this proposal," Zellha shifted her attention to Klavier. "You should submit some of your entries to the band and let them help you play it along with you. Who knows, you might actually get popular that way."

"I'm not seeking popularity," he said.

"Humble guy, aren't you? While you perform out there, I'll be selling lemonades. They're a hit even among the gods so you can trust that I can fetch lots of cash."

"I don't like the sound of that," Michele commented. "It sounds almost like you want to scam people."

"Do I? Then what do you intend to do to help Klavier? H~mm?"

"I-I don't know! Don't look at me like that, it's creeping me out."

"Ah, I know. You can do modelling."

"Modelling?" Klavier asked. "Do you know how tough a job that is?"

"It's not going to kill this monkey here. I'll admit she's got a good figure but that's all there is to it."

"Who are you calling monkey?" Michele's cheek muscles twitched.

"You."

"I'm going to destroy you," she stood up, pulling out her axes as Zellha scrolled her tongue out.

"Drop it guys," Klavier stepped in between them, carrying the thick folder of music sheets. "I'll need you guys to help me decide up to three sets of five songs from four-hundred over pieces here."

"F-Four hundred?!" Michele's jaw dropped. "And why three sets when you can settle with one?"

"It's to maximize my chances of success. If one fails, I can use another to back me up. Zellha, do you mind?"

"With pleasure," Zellha snatched it, immersing herself into the great flood of content before her.

"In the meantime, I'll let Elder Grah know about what we agreed on. So, Michele will do modelling, Zellha will sell lemonades and I will give out performances."

"Cut the modelling," Michele said.

"Oh, why are you shy to bare that body of yours?" Zellha asked. "It's not like anyone's going to die doing that."

"You're the one to talk."

"What's there to worry about?" Klavier said, browsing through the job requests. "The modelling is on women's clothing."

"Is it?"

"Yeah," he looked at her. "What kind of modelling were you thinking of just now?"

"N-Nothing-"

"Lingerie modelling," Zellha snapped, taking pleasure behind Michele's stoning expression.

"Can you not?!"

"I shouldn't have asked," Klavier stumbled in his footsteps.

It was more work than he anticipated. Not only did he need to update Elder Grah on his plan on how to earn twenty million zel within two years, he also had to submit his proposals to the school band and hope that they would help him with it. He had never ventured beyond the classroom before, so that made him a complete nobody thrown into the wilderness to fend for himself. Then again, he wasn't alone in this ambitious quest; Zellha had armed him with the three sets of five songs for him to show it off to the uncanny wild beast he was about to conquer.

This monster that he was tasked to defeat was known to be quite a mean person among the members that Klavier talked to, mainly because of her piercing insults and apparent lack of recognition among people who were achieving results. But rumors would remain rumors; he took a step forward by appointing a time with the band leader using Karl to help him. But he chose a rather inconvenient time since it was after a long and hard practice session.

"Seria, do you have a moment?" Karl asked. "My friend's got a request."

"What does he want?"

"Seria," Karl said. "This is Klavier. Klavier, this is Seria."

"Pleased to meet you," Klavier stretched his hand out for a handshake only for her to shove it aside.

"What brings you, a nobody, here?"

"I've got a couple of music pieces here that I thought might be great to share with you guys. You see, not all of these that I have need to be played solo. Is it alright if you let me show it to you?"

"I'm not really against it, but my guys are already really tired from the practice. Come another day."

"But-"

"Seria," Karl interrupted Klavier. "Klavier really needs this chance. He's got a debt to clear with the school."

"And why should I care?"

"Because," Karl's eyes drifted to Klavier. "He's the one who managed to stop the destruction of the stadium single-handedly."

"H~uh? What makes you think I will believe such an obvious lie?"

"We'll just put it this way," Klavier said. "I'm in debt with the school for a very good reason. And if I don't get the money before graduation, I'll get expelled on the day of graduation itself. I can't do this alone, so I'm appealing to this band because I find that you guys are approachable."

"A-As if compliments like that will help us," she folded her arms. "Fine. I'll let you give us a preview."

Klavier pulled out a thin book, laying out the music sheets onto the piano as the band members gathered at one point to make themselves comfortable. He ignored the daggers poking him on the back as he positioned his fingers as where the instructions told him to. He pressed down on the first note, his mind flashing the image of the last time he held his father's hand. It happened when he ventured with his father down the Lake Lordahn in Lizeria. They went around the lake, collecting herbs that would be useful for the physicians back in town when a man wearing a set of beautiful white armor descended on the lake.

"Um, dad," Klavier said. "I don't think we should go there."

"Hold on, it might be an injured person. Stay right here, I'll be back," his father replied as he took a closer look.

Without warning, a beam of light shot through him. The shock reflected on his father's face, frozen completely as he collapsed from the blow. The shout he made as a child transformed into a powerful blast of tragic music as it reached its peak. It was ironic; he wanted to forget about all these because it tore him apart just recalling it. But there was a strange energy surrounding his fingertips, almost as though those painful images were the ones that drove the song forward. As he slowed the pace to a stop, his ears pricked at the sound of sniffing within the crowd. He turned around, his eyes capturing the tearful faces among his audience.

"I-I'm not crying!" Seria insisted as she blew her nose on a tissue paper.

"So, how was it?" Klavier asked.

"N-Not good enough! Show me one more!"

He shrugged, sitting down on the bench in front of the piano once more as he moved on to the next piece. He laid out the positions, staring hard at the title of the song before launching into an explosive start. The memories reeled in, continuing from where it left off.

"Dad! Dad!" Klavier cried as he nudged the corpse before him.

But he did not move a single muscle even as Klavier poked at his sensitive spots. There wasn't a pulse at all and small pool of blood formed around him so much that it stained Klavier's knees. His mouth dried as the reality sunk in his head. Tears rolled down his cheeks as the grief within flowed in. But the sadness turned into rage the moment his eyes set on the shiny armored figure. He pulled out a knife in his pocket, approaching it as stealthily as possible when it dashed past him with a speed that appeared impossible for a typical human. He turned around, staring right back at the figure moving towards his village. He picked up the tempo as he recalled his past self-bursting in a sprint.

"Mom! Sis! Get out of there!" he screamed at the top of his lungs when he toppled over a boulder, skinning his knees in the process.

But his warning came too late - the armored figure had already begun its carnage, setting ablaze the houses, slaughtering the panicked villagers with a single thrust of its dual-tipped spear. He fell to his knees, watching his mother desperately summoned her fighters only to be interrupted by a single swing of the lance. Blood spewed high in the air, staining the roof of their hut. She collapsed to the ground like a puppet being cut off from the manipulations of its master.

"Mom!" he charged forward, forcing himself to ignore the pain that seared on his knees.

It wasn't over. He still had his sister alive. If he could save her, then maybe things would be a little better. The thought pushed him on as his feet pounded the ground harder and harder. But with the crippling pain biting on his knees, the landing of his foot gave way once more. He stumbled, using the picture of his sister in his head as a reminder. No way would he give up just yet.

He rose to his feet but this time with great difficulty. His senses started to dull on him as the sensation overloaded his system. There was every indication that he was about to give up when he noticed a black haired double pony tailed girl came rushing towards him.

"Vanros!" she shouted at his direction.

"Maroma!" he seized her as he toppled over from the desensitized legs. "We need to escape somehow."

"You're injured…" fear trickled out of her voice.

"I'm fine," he forced himself up when everything in front of him dimmed. He looked up, staring right back at the shiny armored figure. All color drained from his face. He reached out for his dagger when it swung its spear across his chest.

"Brother!" he heard her desperate cry as he fell flat on the ground.

He fought against the heavy cloak of death, ignoring the blood staining his shirt as he lunged his dagger right into its abdomen. It ought to work, but only for a moment. He grabbed Maroma's hand, running away as far as his legs could carry him when the armored figure stood right before him.

"Damn," he mumbled as he loosened the movements on his hands and legs. "Come on. I'll take you on."

"Fighting me bare-handed?" the armored figure scoffed. "You've got guts to stand up to me in that kind of condition."

"Klavier, Vanros Klavier is my name. You'd better remember this because you're going down by my hand later if now's not the time."

Just as it swung its spear towards him, Maroma pushed him aside, raising her arms across as she took the hit directly. The world crashed down on him. The one that he fought so hard to protect crumpled to the ground, never to stand up again. Her eyes were devoid of life and the blood spilled like water flowing out of a burst tank.

"Maroma…" he mumbled as he rested his arms on the corpse.

Why did it do that? That was the question stuck in his mind as the tune ground to a halt. His vision was all watery and foggy when the completed track broke the illusion. He wiped on his eyes, staring back at a slightly wet long sleeve. It definitely was not fun reminding himself of all those moments but he somehow knew that his thoughts about his family was what kept him alive no matter how cruel the world was.

"What are you?" Seria asked as he stood up. "How are you able to paint such a terrifying picture in our heads so easily?"

"I've got my moves," Klavier shrugged. "So, shall we collaborate?"

"I'm still considering…" her answer raised eyebrows among the band members.

"Seria," Karl said. "I'm sure he has done more than enough to prove his skill."

"Its fine, Karl," Klavier said as he packed up. "Best not to force her if she doesn't want. I'll just look for another group. In that case, thank you for your time," he bowed as he took his leave.

"Wait!" Seria's voice grounded him on the spot. "I didn't say you can go."

The tips of his lips lifted upwards as he turned the opposite direction.

"We'll take you in, but you better deliver the same kind of performance on the actual day or else you're dead meat!"

He raised both eyebrows as the band group roused in applause.

"You'd better be here the first thing in the morning," Seria shouted as he pushed the door open. "I won't tolerate late-comers!"

"I heard you. So don't worry."


	3. One Shot 3 - Ephemeral

Seria's leadership was undeniable. She was able to command the entire band without having to use fear as most other leaders that Klavier knew would. However, she was often quite unreasonable with her orders, going as far as spending the entire day in the room with little or no breaks in between the varying sessions. But such a trait was already predicted since Karl warned him of this before he signed up for the collaboration. She hated being ill-prepared for anything and would do everything in her power to avoid that trap.

On the day of the school festival, all but Klavier was ready for the event. He didn't have the formal wear that Seria required him to be in, adding to the headache that he already had since he was on low budget in the first place. Then again, Karl saved him once more, allowing him to borrow one of his tuxedo suits along with a plain red tie and a set of gold cuffs to be worn on the wrist.

Darkness enveloped the sky as day gave way to night. The crowd was starting to amass in the auditorium, turning on the pressure on the small group of performers. Not all were comfortable at the idea of being watched. Klavier spent more of his time cleaning up his own physical image, using it as an excuse to his panicking subconscious to calm down. A little bit of preparations for the presentation wouldn't hurt, after all.

"Psst, Klavier," he heard someone whisper right behind him. "Over here!"

He turned around, staring right back at a set of giant red eyes with a half-black, half-white sclera.

"Waah!" he bounced away. "Too close! Too close!"

"Oh! I'm sorry!"

"Zellha, can you not startle me like that?"

"Sorry!" she grinned. "I just wanted to tell you, go out there and do well, okay?"

"Thanks."

"While you and your friends are distracting them, I'll go and sell my lemonades. I bet it'll be a hit."

"Just don't do anything funny, please. I'm already in enough trouble."

"No worries," she winked as she hopped away, turning heads as she moved past the others.

"Okay guys," Seria rounded them up. "Today's the night. We're going to show them who we're made of!"

"But captain," one of the members said. "It's my first time in front of so many people…"

"Deal with it!"

"But…"

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen," the emcee's voice boomed over the speakers outside.

"Get in position!" Seria whispered loudly as the group scattered. "You're first, Klavier. Go pull a leg."

"Sure."

"...without a further ado," the emcee said. "Let us welcome the school band!"

It was like he stepped through a shroud - the light beamed down on him wherever he went the moment he stepped out of the backstage. He could see almost nobody in front of him; all he heard was their small chatter before they entered into a welcoming applause. He bowed briefly at them before he took his position on the grand piano that dominated the stage space.

He pressed down the first note, digging into the memories when he first summoned both Michele and Zellha. It wasn't as smooth as he wished it to be, but it was perfectly fine with him since they eventually got along. The introductory piece seemed to be doing its work; the atmosphere in the auditorium started to lighten up as the song yawned into completion.

The audience clapped non-stop as he stood up from his seat. Klavier turned to Seria, using a nod as a cue for her to bring in the rest of the band members. The lights dimmed so much that he could barely see his own hands. They moved in quietly, ensuring that their steps did not disrupt the already lightened mood that Klavier had established from before.

With the snap of someone's fingers, the lights went back on, this time, revealing the entire stage filled with people holding different instruments, arranged according to the instrument they were holding on. Seria raised her hands slightly, prompting the entire band into 'ready' position. Klavier took his seat once more, looking right back at Seria as she swung the conductor's wand.

"One, two, three," Seria mumbled as he watched the wand carefully before unleashing a set of notes in a medium-fast pace.

Seria shifted her attention to the rest of the band, prompting them of their time as they mixed into the initially plain music. Klavier's mind involuntarily wandered into the moments that they practiced so hard that almost all of them dropped sleeping when the practice was over. Tonight was the night. All their pain and thrill poured out into the single piece of combined effort as they took the audience into a parallel universe.

It became the talk of the night. The band was overwhelmed with praises from the public on their revolutionary performance since it steered away from the classical themes that many were familiar with. The one that received the most attention was Seria since she was the leader of the group. It was disappointing, but at the same time, relieving for Klavier. Disappointing because Seria took credit for his ideas even though he knew it was unintended; Relieving because he wasn't comfortable talking to a large group about the concept on his own.

He walked out of the auditorium, unable to ignore his stomach that grumbled non-stop even before the concert started. Just beyond the school facilities was a set of night stalls lined up in two neat rows. People roamed around wearing their yukata, making him look a bit out of place with his tuxedo suit. He ignored the gleeful stares that bored down on him, buying a box of four takoyaki from one of the food stalls. He bit on it, the myriad of flavors melting on his tongue when a blue-haired man wearing a similar suit approached him.

"Hey there, popular guy," he grinned.

"Hey Karl," Klavier said. "What brings you here?"

"I wanted to tell you that you just made Seria cry," he said with a grim expression worn.

"What?"

"It's like what I said."

"Why would she do that in the first place?"

"Because it's the first time in her life as a band member that the auditorium was so full that there's a demand for an encore. People are willing to pay double the amount for it."

"Really?"

"It's that good."

"But I was just doing it to clear my debt. Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if she gets the teacher-in-charge to pull me over."

"You're not the only reason that it's so successful. The girl wearing a black dress, she sold amazing lemonades too. Though it cost me like fifty thousand zel to buy one…"

"That's good to hear. What?! Fifty thousand?"

"Yeah. But I can handle the pinch. It's really good."

_He just got conned big time_, Klavier's subconscious sneered.

"Hey Klavier! I'm back!" Zellha returned with thirteen fully-filled pouches of coins stashed on her miniskirt. "Oh, hey, Karl."

"Hey," Karl waved. "Wait. You're that girl who sold me those lemonades."

"Yeah. I'm easy to find, aren't I?"

"With those horns, I guess so. They look very much like cosplay material to me," Karl yanked it only for Zellha to return a bite on his hand.

"Whoa, watch it," Klavier said. "She gets a bit sensitive when it comes to those."

Zellha maintained her glare even as Karl apologized.

"Um," Klavier stared at the pouches dangling on her skirt. "You should keep those somewhere safe."

"You're in my way, twerp," Michele said, shoving Karl aside. "Klavier, there you are. I was looking for you."

"I was a bit hungry. Sorry for not telling you earlier."

"Oh?" Zellha stared at her red lips. "You've got a good lipstick there."

"Crap. I forgot to wipe it off," Michele pulled out a tissue.

"That looks good on you," Klavier commented. "Of course, you need not wear it when in battle."

"So how did it go?" Michele asked.

"I managed to pay back eighty percent of the damage repairs straight."

"Wow!" the three exclaimed. "That alone with that much?"

"Yeah. The tickets were sold out. Each one of them cost like one hundred thousand zel and there were, well, hundreds of them."

"So what about the money we gathered?" Michele and Zellha asked in sync.

"It's still four million to pay back. So how much did you guys made?"

"Um, one million zel?" Michele said.

"O-One million?!" Karl's jaws hung open. "Isn't that a bit too much?"

"You can never have too much gold," Michele smirked. "So, what about you, Zellha?"

"Five million zel _and_ seventeen gems," she grinned at the moment when Michele's smile turned upside down.

"Fine, fine! Don't give that look! I lost okay?"

"It's not a competition of who gets more, you guys," Klavier said. "So, how do we split the money…?"

"I'll pay the rest. So both Michele and I will have a million to ourselves," Zellha suggested.

"So I worked so hard for naught?" Michele placed her hands on her hips.

"Not exactly. You can buy lots of souvenirs before you head back with that kind of money," Zellha said. "Oh, take these gems," she handed over five of them to Klavier. "I'm sure you'll find it useful. I got to go now. Kajah's going to find trouble if I stay here for too long. Ta-ta!"

"Who's Kajah?" Michele asked as they watched her rush back to the dark corners of the school.

"Her boyfriend, I suppose," Klavier shrugged.

"What a bother. You're really okay with not taking the money?"

"Yeah. Why? You don't look too happy."

"I-I'm not," she blushed. "It's just…"

"Shall we take a walk? Karl, is the ice cream stall still open?"

"It is, though it's going to close soon."

"What's an ice cream?" Michele shot an inquiring look. "You're not going to poison me now, eh?"

"What have I ever done to make you think like that?" Klavier slid back as she leaned forward.

"I was just taking precautions," she folded her arms.

Klavier sighed, giving way to a long period of silence.

"Hey, Klavier," Michele said, breaking the silence before it got any more awkward.

"Hmm?"

"What do you think of Zellha?"

"A little difficult to control, especially in her tendencies to trick people. Why'd you ask?"

"Just a bit curious."

"Two chocolate cone ice cream please," Klavier told the vendor.

"Why'd you buy two?" Michele dug her hands in her pockets.

"Because one is for you? Go on, take it."

She stared at it like she was scanning for any poison inside it. Apparently the visual precaution didn't work - she went on to sniff on it.

"Hey, I told you already there's no poison," Klavier said, shoving aside the daggers poking his back as the public watched them.

"You'd better be telling the truth," she munched on it like she was eating bread. He hunched forward, staring at Michele as she struggled to cope with the sudden discomfort that punched her head.

"Take it easy man! It's meant to be eaten slowly."

"You should have told me earlier," she said with her mouth still full.

It certainly felt a bit off since it was their first time watching the stars twinkle under the night sky. But it was nice for a change - their thoughts far from conflict and fear that the battlefield was always full of. Would Michele yearn for this kind of peace? He turned to her, their eyes meeting for a split second before they broke contact.

"It feels a bit weird," Michele said. "Being away from battle that is. And… "

"And?"

"That you're treating me to this. I mean, this is the first time someone actually did this so I've got no idea how to act."

"Just be yourself. There's really no need to put on a facade to impress another person. You'd hate it if I pretend to be someone else, right?"

"Still," her cheeks reddened slightly. "It's been a while since I felt this."

"Now you know why I don't like fighting," he leaned against the ledge. "Because when you fight, you don't have the time or space to think about the things that really counts. If the gods are not so held up in trying to get more power, the world would be a much better place, don't you think so?"

"Your way of thinking is really odd, I'll give you that."

"Are you okay with that?"

"Okay with what?"

"With your master's way of leading."

"I still hate that part of you for being soft. You almost tore into two fighting Zellha with in that tattered condition of yours. And yet you still hugged her as if it's nothing. I-I don't get it. It hurts a lot more than when I get cut by a sword just thinking about that…"

She was like a jealous kid seeking assurance from her parents. Maybe she was since he paid a lot of attention to Zellha just to make sure Zellha didn't do anything stupid. But with only so much attention he could give, it could get a bit difficult to spread it out evenly. Now was the time - he wrapped his arms around her, shouldering the weight that pulled her down for a while already.

"Sorry," Klavier said.

"F-For what?"

"For not being there when you need my support."

"It's no biggie," she puffed her cheeks. "Can you let go of me already? We're getting those funny stares from the public."

"Fine."


	4. Extras-1 - New Year Day's Preparations

Note: This chapter is independent of the actual story.

He was supposed to be a knight. So how was it possible that he could play a musical instrument like a professional? That thing bugged her time and again to the point that Themis got tired of leaving the question unanswered. She stepped forward, this time, with the determination to squeeze the answer out of him.

"Hey you," Themis said just as he completed a classical song titled _Vivere La Vita._

"How nice to not call me by my name," he returned an eerie smile that sent chills down her spine.

"I-I'm not intimidated by it," she stomped.

"By what?"

"Never mind. Anyway, I've been itching to ask."

"Go on," he pulled out a thick book containing nothing but music sheets from a bookshelf. Along with it came tumbling down another few more, one knocking onto Themis's head so hard that she collapsed from the impact.

"Hey! Don't mess up the infirmary already, will ya?" she head-butted him on the stomach.

"My bad. So, you wanted to ask something?"

"Oh! Yeah. Um. Uh. Oh. What kind of music you play?"

"Piano," he said, raising his eyebrows with that "Isn't it obvious girl?" look.

"No! No, I mean, I heard you play a different kind of piano piece apart from the one you played just now. The one where you tapped your feet or something…"

"Oh, I see. You mean this?" he put down the book, playing three notes in a small measure that jogged her memory.

"Yeah. What's that… err… genre?"

"Trance piano."

"What?"

"The kind of songs that won't make you sleep, in other words."

"Right…" it sounded like a foreign language to her.

"What about it?"

"You playing that same song everyday perked my interest, that's all."

"The song's titled _Parousia_, telling a tale of a second coming of… err… someone," he said, pulling out the music score that featured an insane number of triple notes in one line. He looked forward, his face tensing up before he begun into a slow initial ride.

This was a first. He normally didn't openly show a piece that he haven't fully mastered to anybody before. The privilege allowed her to witness the areas where he struggled at, most notably at the background music that complemented the melody. His fingers were so flexible that it looked like the hand itself was dancing to the beat. The slow ride dropped to a rapid pace, with a never-ending barrage of notes that weaved together into a messy but strangely beautiful piece of work.

"Listening to it gives me goosebumps," Themis commented as he rose from his seat.

"That's how it's supposed to be. It would've been nicer if I didn't struggle at the part leading up to the chorus though…"

"It's already impressive by itself," she slouched forward. "How could you criticize yourself like that?"

"It's just me. Err, I feel like I'm forgetting something."

"Yeah, and that'll be taking a rest."

"Err, not yet. I was about to practice this song for the New Year's Day when your presence distracted me," he pulled out another set of sheets from the book. She peered over his shoulder, capturing the title _Pure White_ on it before he pushed her aside gently.

Unlike the previous song he played, he appeared more relaxed, entering into a comfortable pace that instantly threw Themis's mind into a parallel universe. The tune was one of those things that could only happen in dreams. Everything that was pure and innocent, devoid of any form of corruption filled her mind. If only she could live in such a dream…

_Wake up!_ Her subconscious slapped her on the face. She blinked twice, staring blankly at Klavier, who sounded like he was about to end the piece already. Wait, how was it possible for him to be able to stir such emotions with almost no effort? There wasn't any musician who had such skill, at least in her most recent encounters with them.

"How was it?" Klavier asked.

"Err," she folded her arms. "Okay, I guess."

"Okay, huh. Maybe I should change it to something else."

"No! I don't mean, okay lousy! I meant… uh… never mind."

"Loosen up, will ya?" he pat her on the head. "Not like I'll kill you for being honest."

"You should use it. I think it'll be a hit. Though your current attire doesn't fit it."


	5. Extras-2 - Valentines Day

Featured song for this song:

Higurashi - Dear You  
>Credits for this cover: Theisther<br>watch?v=Y-j_UcHsgVQ

Luck was definitely not on her side. Everyone in Michele's group were receiving gifts on this dreaded day called "Valentine's Day". It was supposedly an expected outcome anyway since she was never into the drug called love. But the bite it had watching even an outcast like Lodin receive chocolate from Tiara made this year's event more painful than it was supposed to be.

But that wasn't the worst. Will, Aem and Themis seemed to have a good time too, setting aside their differences to celebrate this special day when the gods were not attacking at the moment. She heaved a sigh, cursing the heavy emotion for dragging her spirits down.

"Hmm," a voice from behind jolted her up. "Looks like somebody's a bit lonely."

Blood shot up into her head as she turned around. A man wearing grass-green armor greeted her, his full helmet preventing her from seeing his face. On his hand was a box of chocolate but it wasn't without some twisted twigs that already found its way on it.

"Oh, it's you," Michele said.

"Were you expecting Klavier?" he asked.

"N-Not at all! Zelban, you better shut your trap or…"

"Or what?" her ears pricked at the voice. She turned to Zelban's side, staring back at Klavier that took a chocolate from a red heart-shaped box on his hand.

"N-Nothing," she puffed her cheeks.

"You can be honest already," Klavier said, partially revealing the half eaten brown gooey stuff in his mouth. "I know you want some."

"Um, sir," Zelban said. "It's not very nice to talk with your mouth full…"

"Oh! Sorry!"

"Anyway," Zelban gave his gift to her. "This is something for our fellow leader. We appreciate your help throughout our journey and we hope to continue working with you."

"Thanks," her stomach tickled with a weird sensation. "By the way, Klavier. Where did you get those chocolate from?"

"I bought it from a prominent gift shop back in Bariura Empire but it's not been touched for the past month."

"So you decided to eat it," her eyebrows drooped low along with the apparent frown on her face.

"Yup. Must say it's pretty good."

"Do you even know what that kind of chocolate is meant to be?"

"Um yeah," he scratched his head, glancing at Zelban who looked on uncomfortably. "Then again, it's going to expire soon so…"

"Idiot. You could have just given that to me. I'd love to eat them even if they're expired."

"Want to have one then?" he offered the already empty box.

"Um, sir, aren't you going a bit too far doing that?" Zelban asked, his body shaking so much that his armor clattered.

"Is it?" Klavier turned to look at Michele, who was already fuming inside out. "Uh oh. I think you have a point."

Klavier wasn't about to get away with it. She pulled him by the hair just before he could turn tail and run. She yanked him towards her, delivering a punch to the face that sent him flying in the air.

"Idiot! Idiot!" she shouted so loud that even the birds in the forest flew out of their nests. "I hope you die!"

"Leader, get a hold of yourself!" Zelban said. "I don't think Klavier was being serious with what he said…"

"Oh yeah? How do you know?"

"Um…"

"Whatever. Leave me alone."

"But…"

"Just do it."

Evening came faster than her anger could cool down. She pulled enough grass around her to have a small pile of it at her side. But even with that, the anger was still very fresh.

"Argh!" she shouted. "Why am I so angry?!"

"Perhaps the reason behind it is because you care for him, do you not?" a familiar medium-high pitch voice said.

"Tiara, what brings you here? You know I'm poisonous when I'm mad."

"Lodin want to tell you that there's an unrehearsed performance going on back in camp. Come on," she grabbed Michele by the wrist. "It's going to be fun!"

Tiara led her back to the camp, where everyone had already gathered around the campfire, exchanging jokes and booze that kept the atmosphere light. Lodin was already red from overconsumption of alcohol but he went on for his seventeenth cup of beer that aroused loud cheering from the group. But it felt as though someone was missing…

"If you're looking for Vanros Klavier," Tiara interrupted her thoughts. "He's tuning Duel-GX for the performance. It's taking longer than expected though…"

"He'd better make it a good one."

"Aw, you don't have to hide it. I can see you're excited for it!" Tiara poked her cheeks.

"Do that again and I'll smack you silly."

"Okay! I'm sorry!"

"Sorry for the unexpected delay," a monotonous Lilith said as she and Klavier pushed the grand piano to where they could see it comfortably. "Duel-GX broke a string so it took longer than expected. It has been replaced and is now fully functional again."

"Thanks Lilith," Klavier said. "I want to dedicate this to Michele. I know I've caused hurt that she didn't deserve and I don't know whether she'll be around to see this. But I hope the music will reach out to her."

The group roused into an applause as he took a seat, laying out what appeared to be five pages worth of scores at the front.

"Oh," Tiara pulled out the binoculars. "The song looks really interesting."

"Wait. You can read the notes?"

"Yup," she recited a small part of it but stopped halfway when Klavier started on a soft tune.

The first few melodies already grabbed her attention. The emotion of genuine apology and hope sunk in as he varied the strength from second to second. Even the somewhat drunk Lodin quietened down to listen to the song, looking at Klavier sway along with the music, his fingers dancing about on the keyboard.

"Has he always been like this?" Tiara asked. "I mean, this is the first time we are hearing him perform."

"You should see him when he properly prepares the songs. It's said to blow the minds of complete strangers," she said, the tips of her lips lifted slightly as the soothing tune eased the pain within.

"Heh, you're smiling now."

"W-What?"

"You're so easy to read, you know that?" Tiara giggled. "It's written all over your face."

"C-Can you not?"

"Klavier!" Tiara shouted once the song reached its end. "She's over here!"

"Hey!" Michele pulled Tiara away. "The heck are you doing?"

"Don't you want to let him know you're here?"

"It's not that…"

He stood up from his seat, walking towards her with the crowds' gaze following him.

"I-Idiot. Are you trying to make a scene?" Michele asked when he was already in front of her.

"Not really," he answered.

"Then what the heck is this?!"

"Sorry about just now," he pulled out an identical red heart-shaped box from his back. "The box of chocolate I ate earlier was actually from Lucina. I didn't know you'd take the joke so seriously though. So here, this is mine. Don't worry. It's not expired."

"I-Idiot," she snatched it from here. "Do that one more time and I'll a soup out of your bones."

"I hope that won't happen," he laughed uncomfortably as the crowd cheered at their successful reconciliation.

She looked down at the chocolate box, staring at the note written in ink, its handwriting more beautiful than she anticipated it to be. It said "Happy Valentine's Day". To be given something with such value on a time when she perceived to be a waste, her stomach churned with a sensation that was anything but pain. A smile cracked on her face but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't press it back down.

"Um, Michele?" Klavier looked at her, concern swirling in his eyes.

"Don't mind her," Tiara said, pushing her away. "She's really happy. She just can't say it right now."


	6. Ch 1 - Loom

There was nothing but the ringing silence that filled his ears. His hands was on something soft and cotton-like; His nose picked the smell of fresh linen mixed together with a metallic odor that left a bitter taste on his tongue. It had to be blood and the clean environment his mental picture gave him the impression that he was in an infirmary.

"Is this guy even alive?" his ears pricked as it picked up those words. It sounded like a lady's voice.

"Give him time, Themis. He might be conscious right now," a man said.

"He's healed of all the wounds already, what else does he need? Geez," he felt a strong pull up on his collar. "Get up already! Goddammit!"

His mental image colored with the ripples of water with every unforgiving smack to the point that he forced his eyes open in a desperate attempt to end the torment. He stared right back at a small statured, sunset orange dual-horsetail haired woman, her brown-orange almond eyes locked on him. Her face reddened as she tumbled backwards, smashing her head against the wall with a thump.

"Ow," a teardrop escaped her eyes as she rubbed her head. "Hey you! You could at least have said something!"

"How could I say something when you're already hitting me?" the victim rubbed his cheeks.

"Finally, I can now discharge you. I've been waiting five days for you to wake up you know."

"I see. You have my thanks," his eyes focused on the thin purple linen that covered her body, the only thing keeping it together was a blue jewel adorned on her _flat_ chest.

"Good day to you, mister," a man clad in white armor said. "Please pardon the sorceress of her manners. I am Will, and you are?"

"Klavier," they exchanged a firm handshake. "Where am I?"

"Bariura Empire."

"Bariura huh," he looked at the map that was pasted on the stone wall. "I did recall La Veda's destruction after Bariura Empire in the books…"

"Hey you," Themis stomped on Klavier's foot. "La Veda will not be destroyed! Not under my supervision!"

"Sorry, geez. This midget stings."

"Who are you calling midget?!" a vein popped out on her forehead.

"You of course. I've never seen anybody so short before. Ha. Ha."

"Please don't bully our princess here," Will said. "You should be thankful that she willingly healed your wounds."

"Wounds? How bad were they?"

"Almost fatal, I'd say. It was a miracle that you survived somehow. So what do you intend to do now since you're alright?"

"I'm here to find someone," Klavier replied. "His name is Vanros Klavier."

"How do you intend to find a needle in a haystack?" Themis folded her arms. "It's not a small world you know."

"I have my means," Klavier grabbed his sheathed sword and stashed it to the right of his waist. "It'll be a long journey, so I hope you're prepared for it."

"Who is Vanros Klavier?" Will asked.

"One of my close relatives. As far as he is concerned, he is in grave danger."

Themis looked at him suspiciously. "You'd better be telling the truth, boy."

A smile cracked on his face. "Of course I am. But first. I need to find somebody who knows about his whereabouts. Her name is Zellha."

"Zellha?" Will and Themis said in synchronization. "Who is she?"

"An acquaintance."

"I don't like that confidence oozing out of you," Themis mumbled.

"I sense the task to be a noble one," Will said. "Very well, I shall lead you to her."

"Will!" Themis protested. "You can't possibly trust this man so easily!"

"Do you not sense his dire need for help?"

"But…"

"It's alright if you don't wish to accompany me," Klavier said as he drifted off to the main roads. "I know my way around here, so I don't wish to waste your time if you don't intend to give it."

Themis puffed her cheeks, her eyebrows crossed into an angry "V" shape.

"Come on," Will said, nudging Themis. "He will need your help sooner or later. Wait up. We're going to help you out."

"Much appreciated," his teeth bared in his grin.

The environment was clean of any pollutants, the only source being in the bakeries or blacksmith workshops that hid itself well among the rows of buildings. Men and women wore elaborate renaissance-themed clothing, boasting their status and power using that alone. It made Klavier stand out since he was wearing an unzipped long sleeved black bomber jacket which revealed a thin white undershirt that covered his body. The black pants was of leather quality too; probably more expensive than the priciest set of pants in town of this age.

Just as how a knight would escort the guarded, Will led the way, scattering crowds wherever he went. There were other armored personnel like him, roaming the city in groups of four to ensure civil order in the town that were spread thinly to avoid attract the civilians' attention of their roaming activity.

They entered the back alley near the palace of the city. Unlike the friendly vibe the town gave, this single area was more repulsive, almost as though there was an underground activity going on in it. Klavier moved faster despite the increasing caution exercised in Will's footsteps as they entered the facility through the back door.

In it was a vast space of scientific equipment, from apparatuses to live specimen research confined in a glass container. The air was pungent, almost as though there was rotting flesh somewhere in the area, but it was so dark that they couldn't even see it. The mere sight of animals struggling to escape in the air tight confines made his hair stand.

"What is this place?" Themis mumbled. "Who would do such cruel things to the world's creation?"

"Him," he pointed at a man wearing black-purple samurai armor carrying a metal staff with an orange jewel on its tip. He kept watch of two giant tubes that had human beings trapped inside them. The color on Themis and Will's faces drained away.

"How could he?" Themis mumbled a little louder than a loud whisper.

"Keep it down," Will whispered. "We need to gather more information if we are to accuse him for his wrongdoing."

In front of him were two life sized capsules, carrying a woman on one and a man on another. He poured a yellow essence into the mouth of the chamber, channeling the substance into the pink solution they were soaked in.

"You've longed for this, do you not, Eric?" the magician said. "Today is the day. Magic will be your best friend."

Eric's face twisted in frustration as the manipulator let out a wicked laugh.

"This guy," Will said. "What is he doing to that commoner?"

"Magic infusion," Klavier replied. "It's an illegal activity as far as this is concerned."

"This man has to be brought to justice," Themis said, swiping her hand across in a fit of anger when a flask tumbled down to the floor, shattering the silence that stood in the lab the whole time.

"Ah," the magician looked at their direction. "Looks like we have some visitors. Come out, my soon-to-be-guinea-pigs."

"You guys stay here. I'll deal with this fella," Klavier stood up.

"Do you even know who he is?" Themis whispered loudly.

"His name is Shida, one of the great dark magicians of his time that manipulated the power of the gods which eventually caused them to wage war with humans. Is there anything else to it?"

"What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Is he really that kind of person?"

"Who knows," he shrugged. "I'd best entertain him as the honored guest of the house."

"Finally," a wicked smile dashed across Shida's face. "None I've talking one who dares to emerge from the shadows. Before we begin in the experiments, may I know who you are?"

"Klavier, Vanros Klavier," his hand dropped to the sheathed sword on his waist.

"Shida. Nice to meet you, Klavier. So," he took a step forward. "Shall we begin with the process?"

"Your experiments are as interesting as always, my dear friend, but I'm afraid that I need to decline."

"Oh?" Shida's eyes narrowed. "What is your reason?"

"I'm not here to look for power."

"Not here to look for power, huh. Aren't you a humble one?"

"A lot of people told me that before. But the thing is - immense power is a tool that can only be controlled by strong-willed people. Those without control blinds them, making them think they can do anything when they can't always do so in reality."

"You make it sound like you've gone through a lot yourself. Don't you want to dominate them all?"

"I would love to. But will it do any good to those around me?"

"You're an interesting fella indeed. I'll have you transformed into the being you so desire. Come, I'll break a path for you."

"No! Klavier!" his ears picked up Themis's loud whispers as he was led away by Shida. He glanced back, a slight smile surfacing on his face. He knew that such a gesture would not reassure Themis by any means but he did it anyway since he couldn't allow Will and her to get exposed.

"Shall we begin?" Shida pushed a few buttons at the control station that kept the two life-sized chambers in check.

"I did tell you in the first place that I wasn't here for power," Klavier said, pulling out the sword slightly from the scabbard. "In all honesty though," he slashed the glass container that held Zellha inside, staring at the pink liquid as it burst through the small line that he created. "I've got to thank you for leading me to her."

"Bastard," fury whirled in Shida's eyes. "You do know the consequences of your actions."

"I know very well what I'm doing," Klavier's lips curled. "What are you going to do?"

"You asked for it," Shida pointed his metal staff at him. "Burn in hell, intruder!"


	7. Ch 2 - Poison

A massive red circle of magic materialized at where Shida stood. Pillars of black flames surrounded the entire lab, distorting the environment outside the assumed arena into an otherworldly open space where the tainted purple clouds swirled in the air. Eroded figures of a formally holy ground sat at seemingly random points of the place, infested with countless piles of dead bodies.

Shida swung his staff across, sending a wave of black fire blazing towards Klavier. He bounced away from the point of contact, spinning so fast that he momentarily appeared like a spinning top as he touched down. Shida raised his staff, drowning the heavy strike effortlessly with a simple swing that sent Klavier flying. Shida swiped his hand upwards, conjuring a massive black clenched fist from the ground, smashing Klavier with one fell swoop.

"How's that for a start?" Shida taunted. "Ready for some more?"

"You talk too much, you know that?" Klavier wiped the blood off his mouth.

Klavier focused on Shida, breaking into a sprint. But it appeared he wasn't about to be given an easy target - Shida unleashed a flurry of animating spells, spawning forth armies of the dead in an attempt to stop the unrelenting man before him. Klavier slashed across, unloading a part of his energy in the form of a silver-blue crescent moon that disintegrated the army into unrecognizable bits.

Klavier threw a punch forward so fast that Shida didn't even have the time to react to it, striking square on his torso that threw him off. The impact was so hard that he was smashed to wall. But it wasn't like his reflexes were dampened at all; he swerved to the side just as Klavier's sword slammed right down at him.

"Wrong move," Klavier said. "Bellow, Sirkius."

At his command, the sword flared with blue flames before exploding into a colourful mix of destruction. Klavier tumbled backwards, his face partially burnt from the relentless power of his own weapon. But Shida had it worse; His armor was corroded to the point that it was useless, bleeding from a deep cut caused by Sirkius.

Now was the time to counterattack. Shida mumbled a set of incantations under his breath, filling the environment around Klavier with black balls of matter. It would be impossible to evade it at all; it covered enough space to fit an entire house around him. At the snap of a finger, the balls planted blew up, destroying practically everything as it consumed Klavier whole. The tips of his lips lifted. Victory was finally his. The thought played and replayed in his mind to the point that he was driven mad by it.

"Such a waste," Shida said. "It would've been able to use you as my experiment had it not been for your resistance. You make a good specimen, Klavier."

"No one said that I was defeated," Klavier's voice trailed from behind.

The words throbbed in Shida's head. Impossible, no one could ever survive such a devastating attack. He turned around, staring right back at him, his top completely blown up into shreds of cloth that stubbornly stuck on his body. On his left hand was the black sword glowing in a strange golden aura.

"Bellow, Sirkius," he said, unleashing yet another powerful burst of aura that ripped through Shida's body.

Shida staggered back, touching his ripped chest as the blood flowed uncontrollably from the wound. He wasn't about to be defeated just yet. He pointed his staff towards Klavier when his eyes caught sight of the black blade's edge shining right back at him.

"Move an inch and that throat is gone," Klavier said. "Release her now."

"Why should I? It's not your specimen in the first place."

"I'll say this only once," the blade poked on his throat. "Hand her over."

"What will you do? Huh? Kill me? That's not going to happen."

"It's alright if I do it anyway. I'll just have to figure a way around how to get her," a smirk surfaced on Klavier's face. "Look. I don't have time to mess with your little experiments. So do as I say and it'll be a happy situation for you."

"F-Fine," Shida mumbled a spell under his breath. "I'll let her go, okay?"

The environment started to distort once more, breaking into tiny bits of squares, reconstructing itself into the dark silver place that they initially stood in. They stood in their positions, maintaining fierce stares at one another as life was breathed around them. Will and Themis emerged from their hiding, horror written all over their faces.

"You had to do it again, don't you?" Themis asked. "I just fixed you up and now you're all bashed up!"

"Sorry about that," Klavier said. "Once we're done here, we can recuperate."

Shida typed in the data into the relevant fields to release the two people inside their chambers. The tube that kept them suspended in the air came off, allowing them to collapse to the cold, hard floor. Within seconds after their release, they heard them cough as they breathed in the pungent air around them.

"I've done as you asked. So, let me go already," Shida said.

"Very well," Klavier lowered his sword.

It wasn't about to be over like that. He chanted a spell under his breath, imploring to the two subjects that he held in his care to rise to their feet. They did as he told them to, hung up like puppets being manipulated by an amateur master. Their eyes were void of any life, staring at Klavier and his companions with an obvious desire to kill.

"You heard me right," Shida said. "They're all yours."

It wasn't like Shida's actions threw him off. Klavier anticipated it, knowing that Shida would find opportunities to subdue him in moments that seems to be of excellent times. He turned to Shida, swinging his sword across that let out a burst of golden aura.

"Where do you think you're aiming?" Shida taunted as he dived away from the hit.

"Not you of course," Klavier pointed at the blazing inferno that was ignited from his attack. All colour from Shida's face drained. Before he could attempt to jump away, the facility behind him exploded, blowing him up into smithereens.

"One down," Klavier said, shifting his attention to the possessed Zellha and Eric. "Two more to go."

"Klavier!" Will stood in front of him, wielding his sword and shield. "Stand back, you're heavily injured."

"I'm fine," he insisted. "Will, can I task you to deal with Eric?"

"Are you mad? Zellha's a goddess. You can't possibly fight her in that kind of condition!"

"Are you able to handle her then?"

"That's…"

"You got my point. So, let's get this done quickly so we can go home already."

"Who are you?" Zellha flexed her claws, staring at Klavier so intensely that he felt the glare shot right through him.

"Where are my manners?" he bowed. "The name's Klavier. Vanros Klavier."

"You're no ordinary human," her eyes narrowed. "What are you?"

"I don't see a reason to tell you just yet," In that exact moment, he felt a jarring pain. A sinister grin surfaced on Zellha's face as she pulled her claw out, blood spilled all over it for her to lick on. Klavier staggered back, fighting against the increasingly powerful sensation culminated on his abdomen. He knew that Zellha was not one to mess with, not when she was already furious over Shida's actions.

"You sure talk big," she clashed against Klavier's sword. "Come on, I know you're not yet done."

She grabbed onto his blade, gripping it so hard that Klavier couldn't yank it off her grasp even if he put in all his effort. For a moment, it felt as though he went through the same situation before. If his memory served him right, he fought off a beast that had fiery red hair whose claws were made of titanium, a kind of metal that was way stronger than steel. That monster ripped through his torso when Klavier couldn't block it with his disabled sword.

He won't repeat the same mistake again. He let go of the weapon, diving straight down before Zellha could land another blow that could potentially kill him. Klavier swung his left leg across, smashing against her side so hard that he heard a crack. He grabbed her on the shoulders, collapsing to the floor as fast as he could for her to bounce off the ground head first.

But Zellha remained unfazed. She stood up, clenching her fist to summon an ethereal sword. He lifted his blade with a single hand in full anticipation. Klavier seized his weapon, clashing with hers that sent a loud, metallic clang that reverberated throughout the vast space of the laboratory.

"I should have known that the true power of the gods is something to reckon with," Klavier said as he broke away from the clash. "In that case, here's a present for you.

He pointed at her using his right hand, holding his position steady as a small red ball of energy massed up on his finger.

"You! Where did you learn that technique from?!" she jumped towards him with her claws bared in a desperate attempt to intercept him. But she was a second too late; He released the attack, unleashing a red beam half the size of a hovel that tore through everything in its path before it slowly reduced in size and disappeared completely. Zellha fell to her knees, her body as charred as the area that was under the mercy of his magic.

"Impossible," she muttered as the blackness of her sclera faded away. "Only the high ranking gods can afford to do such attacks…"

"I see you got the point. Yes, it's a god's power," he said. "So, can we make a deal here?"

"Fine, I lost," she said. "So what do you want from me?"

"I'm here to retrieve somebody by the name of Vanros Klavier. I need your help to track his whereabouts."

"But," she raised an eyebrow. "Isn't _your_ name Vanros Klavier?"

"There are a lot of people by the same name. But I'm looking for this kid who looks like me. That's all."

"H~mm," her lips curled. "I will do as you ask. But you need to do as I ask first."

"Fine. So what is it that you want?"

"Give me a gem."

He heaved a sigh, pulling out one colourfully designed diamond from his pocket.

"Whoa. It's the real thing!" her eyes sparkled, snatching it away from him.

"Klavier!" Themis said, carrying Eric on her shoulder. "I'm sending Eric to the infirmary. I'll catch up with you guys later."

"For a midget, she's actually quite strong," Klavier mumbled as she trotted away.

"I heard you dimwit. Once I'm done with him, I'll wreck you!"

"I'd like to see you try. Anyway," he turned his attention to Zellha. "Are you allowed to be seen by the public?"

"Not unless I'm fighting a war," she said.

"I see," his lips drooped to a frown. "I guess that's acceptable. Now, to find a change of clothing."

"Klavier," Will said, offering a thick white robe folded nicely on his hands. "This is all that I have. Take this, it'll ease the pain for now."

"Thanks," he sniffed on some medicinal scent that numbed the pain. "Are you alright with me using it?"

"Why not?" he returned a smile. "It's a token of appreciation for your services. This will allow you to be recognized by the knights of the Holy Order."

"Thanks," Klavier put on the sleeveless robe, tucking the excess parts into his pants to create a new, clean image of himself. "Let's get out of here already."

"Well, what do we have here?" an unfamiliar voice shattered the momentary silence in the laboratory.

"Who are you?" Klavier stared at a figure of a man emerging from the dark corners of the lab.

He had unruly brown hair, wearing the cloak of a white knight, the symbol of a red cross engraved on it. Each step he took gave away a soft clank of metal. He pulled out a thin double edged sword, its tip akin to that of a pencil tip as opposed to Agent One's curved edge.

"Iikuto Ryuuga," Will's voice shook in anger. "What are you doing here?"

"Same question applies to you," Ryuuga's lips curled. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Be careful, Klavier," Will said. "This man's -"

The sound of metal ripping into flesh tore the perceived silence between them. Blood splattered on Klavier's face, his eyes capturing the fear in Will's as he collapsed to the floor.

"What a shame to be called an officer. You're not fit to be one in the first place," Ryuuga spat at Will.

"Have you no respect, spitting at him like that?" Klavier gritted his teeth.

"I do as I please."

"Who in the world do you think you are, using that power of yours to hurt people?"

"Are you testing my authority?" his eyes narrowed.

"Am I?"

"Say one more word and I swear I'll slit that damned throat of yours."

"Try me," Klavier goaded.

"In that condition? Hah!"


	8. Ch 3 - Red Axe Michele

Klavier's power surged so much that the earth around them trembled. Glass apparatuses came crashing down under the dominating force as KLavier burst into a sprint. Despite the phenomenal speed, Ryuuga raised his sword in full anticipation, bringing his charge to a full halt with a clash. Klavier forced his sword upwards, breaking the balance of his opponent. With his torso open for a direct hit, he lunged his blade forward. Ryuuga swerved to the side, counter-attacking with a series of frenzied strikes. Klavier evaded the first hit, his eyes focused on the deadly edge coming closer at a perceived slow speed. He raised the black blade, blocking the strike that would have otherwise sliced his chest into two. Their swords stubbornly stuck one another, shaking the air violently that destroyed the immediate area around them.

"You fight well to be this battered," Ryuuga said.

"What do you know?" Klavier replied. "I never heard my opponents compliment me like that before."

The flattery seemed to work; His enemy was letting down his guard. Klavier grabbed hold of his head, slamming him down to the ground with all his might. Klavier slammed his sword down. But the blade missed an inch as Ryuuga jerked away from the incoming attack. Klavier escaped his grasp, bouncing back to create a small distance between them.

Fatigue weighed down on him. He should have known better, there was no way he would have enough stamina to last three duels back-to-back like that. But that wouldn't be a problem if could deal the finishing blow first. Klavier charged forward, channelling all the anger and bitterness lingering in his heart into that single attack.

He swung the sword with all his might yet Ryuuga countered with an effortless clash that blew away even more of the lightweight materials around them. The parry did more than just block the otherwise lethal attack; the blade snapped. A wicked smile masked Ryuuga's formerly serious look. He thrust the sword straight towards Klavier's heart. He wasn't about to let himself get hurt just like that. He forced himself to the side as the blade sunk into his body that was just an inch away from the vital area.

"Damn," Klavier grabbed the blade, pulling it out with all his might. Ryuuga twisted it before he could, overloading his body with the torment. The strength he needed dried up on him as Ryuuga pulled it out, breaking into a triumphant laugh as Klavier fell to his knees. Ryuuga raised his sword right above him, no doubt boasting the hard-earned victory over Klavier's defeat. He pushed his sword down towards Klavier's back only to be stopped by an unknown force just before the blade could sink in.

Right before Klavier was the orange haired dual ponytailed girl that held her jewelled staff steady with both her hands. An image throbbed in his head. It felt as though he went through the exact same moment somewhere down his lifetime though he had no instance of such interventions in his most immediate memories.

"Are you alright, Klavier?" she asked.

"Themis! How did you…?"

"Long story. I'll tell you later once I'm done with him," she levelled her weapon parallel to the ground. She let go of it, allowing it to levitate without the support required as she chanted a set of incantations under her breath.

Ryuuga leapt forward, thrusting his sword towards her. Klavier could hear his mind scream the order to get up but like a stubborn child, his body refused to move even in the increasingly dire situation he found her in. He wasn't about to lose Themis the same way how he lost will, at least that was what he hoped so. But Themis was starting right back at Ryuuga, continuing her chants as though she paid no mind to his meddling. She somersaulted backwards, narrowly evading the strike as she formed a "V" shape with her fingers on the tips of her lips. She squeezed her lips with the fingers, breathing out a set of flames that roared at Ryuuga's direction.

"Time to go," Themis said, carrying Klavier like a sack on one hand and levitating Will off the ground with her magic. She waved her staff in a circular motion, speaking in an ancient tongue. The words were cryptic enough to keep Klavier from understanding what was running in her head. But what was certain was that Themis was not interested in fighting at all. Before long, Klavier's vision blackened into nothingness.

He heard nothing but a ringing buzz. His head was resting on something soft and warm, his body still somewhat paralyzed from what felt like a tranquilizer jab. He opened his eyes, staring at a white ceiling lit under the candlelight when Themis entered his line of vision.

"How long was I out?" Klavier asked as he sat up on the infirmary bed.

"Three days," she turned her attention to the other patients in the same room. "You were lucky that I got there on time. You'd probably just as badly wounded as Will is."

"Thanks," a slight smile surfaced on his face. "I owe you one for saving me there."

"Gee," she shuffled her feet. "That's a first."

"Why?"

"Not really. Anyway, what happened to your sword?"

"It snapped when I fought Ryuuga off. It's never happened before and I've maintained it for as many times as I can every day."

"It can't be helped then," she shrugged. "I know an aristocrat around here that can assist you in replacing that blade temporarily. She's currently selling her final stock of unwanted weapons and armours."

"I bet it cost mountains of zel to buy one."

"You can try to bargain with her. She'll be willing to do so since you're a 'knight', taken from the fact that you're wearing Will's trainee robe."

"What's her name?"

"Michele. She has a very complex hairstyle, is a blonde, and incredibly tall. She's easily recognizable among the nobles so you will want to gather information first before approaching her."

"You give me the impression that she doesn't want to deal with people outside her circle of friends."

"It's rumoured to be the case."

"But why would she be in Bariura Empire at this point of time?"

"One, to sell some stuff and two, witness a political situation in here. Well, do you want to see her?"

"I might as well since she might travel soon. In that case, do you not mind patching me up further?"

"Sure," she hovered her hands over the barely closed wounds on his body. Her face strained with intense concentration as a green ethereal orb materialized on her palm. She pushed it into his chest. His fingers tingled with a strange sensation, his body lost all sense of pain in his movements.

"Go on. I'll wait for Will to wake up," she said.

"Thanks."

He stashed his broken sword into its scabbard, making his way out from the infirmary into the city. It bustled with all sorts of activity from the merchants doing their noisy trade to the artists that painted their canvases with a lot of care and love to it. There was a clear division between the commoners and the noble; the more elegantly clothed people located at where Klavier was walking towards to, and the less well-off people on where he stood. Even though there was no barricade to clearly distinguish who was from where, he sensed a different air the moment he entered the aristocrat's environment.

Unlike the commoner's side, the rich man's area was filled with luxurious things - parties, expensive fashion and music. The place was a lot cleaner and was guarded with higher ranking soldiers that patrolled the parameter to ensure their security. Klavier ignored the quick stares that caught the noble's attention as he walked past them, scanning the area for that one person recommended by Themis. Then again, the description given by Themis wasn't good enough to give him a solid mental picture…

"You look a bit lost," a pleasant-sounding voice said from behind.

"I am," Klavier looked back to see a fully armoured long haired blonde lady wearing a metal headband with a halberd hanging loosely on her back. Her strong blue eyes met his for a split second before he looked away. "I'm looking for someone by the name of Michele. Do you know where she might be?"

"What business do you have with her?"

"I'm a knight who needs to have a replacement sword," he pulled out his broken sword. "You see, I can't perform my duty if I don't have a working blade."

"I see. What's your name?"

"Klavier. Vanros Klavier."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Amy."

"Pleased to be your acquaintance," he gave a brief bow. "Shall we get going? I'm kind of on a rush now."

"You came at a good timing. Michele is leaving for La Veda tomorrow. Follow my lead."

How embarrassing. Themis's poor description of Michele was the one responsible for his cluelessness. It would do no good to refuse the offer given to him. Amy walked like any other soldier around the town, but there was a strong sense of pride in her strides. At the same time, there was a lady-like vibe from it, turning some heads as they went along into a courtyard that was filled with well-dressed nobles. City guards were stationed at strategic locations, their eyes peeled on a lookout for any possible assassins that might infiltrate the perimeter. They eyed on Klavier briefly, scanning him like they would to other first time visitors before letting him in without resistance.

"There she is," Amy pointed at a blonde dual-croissant-braided haired girl wearing a red gown that had intricate designs on it.

"There's no signs of any weapons or armour on her," Klavier commented.

"You got a point. Okay, stay here and let me talk to her. I'll be right back."

Great. Klavier was now left alone in an environment he knew he couldn't click into very well. There were a lot of things he was yet to know such as hooking up ladies, being the cool kid in town and drinking. He took a cup of cocktail wine from the buffet table blending in with the crowd as much as he could just to avoid looking out of place. After what felt like an eternity, Amy returned with Michele, who was a head taller than himself and was probably more muscular than he was.

"What business do I have with a lowly knight like you?" Michele asked.

"Um, good evening milady," he bowed. "I'm here to request for a new blade. My acquaintance, Themis, told me that you have what I need."

"That blabbermouth, I'm going to teach her a lesson on shutting that trap of hers. Alright. Since you're here, there's a lot of weapons that is on sale but you can expect a hefty price tag to it. But before that, why not you enjoy the party for a while longer?"

"I'd really love to but you see, I need to get back to duty as soon as I can. My superior will kill if I don't return within an hour."

"I see. Follow me," she trailed away into a candle-lit room in a tower adjacent to the function.

In the area was just a long table filled with weapons of varying types and sizes lined up in display. Klavier glanced at each of them that bore a different, unique name to it. The one that caught his eye was a snow white blade. Its guard was decorated to appear like a lion's mane, and its edge was curved just like his black sword Sirkius. He picked it up, ignoring the strange sensation it made when he touched it as he examined the durability of it.

"I see you've made your choice quite quickly," Michele said.

"How much is this?"

"Five gems. That's the cheapest and weakest sword in my stock. Are you sure you want that?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Is it alright if I take it with four gems instead?"

"No can do, trainee. This thing's price tag is fixed based on the market price. Any lower and it'll be too cheap to sell."

"Fine," he heaved a sigh, forking out the last few gems in his pocket.

"A fine deal," her lips curled. "Well, let's get back already. I've got to listen to some more political crap again…"


	9. Ch 4 - Godspeed

"Well, what are you waiting for, boy? Hurry up and get back to your leader," Michele said.

"Actually," Klavier folded his arms. "I've been tasked by my leader to be your bodyguard."

"Huh?!" her eyebrows twitched. "Well, whatever. It wouldn't hurt to have one more person to protect me. Good. Then let's get to the ballroom and hear those old men talk politics. Man, I hate those stuff, seriously…" she trailed off into a soft mumble.

Michele entered through a door. Klavier followed suit, entering into massive room that was the length of three hovels. The ceiling was just as mammoth, spanning several meters into the air with a circular platform housing several candles at once that lit the place. In it were a great number of people dressed in tuxedo suits and elegant dresses. The buffet table sat on the far left, hogged by a small group of well-fed people drinking red wine.

"Your face tells me that it's your first time here," Michele commented.

"It is, milady."

"You'll want to stay close if you're not to get lost."

"It feels off without the music," he walked over to the empty stage like he was attracted to it. "Maybe I'll fill it in to avoid boring the crowd."

"It's not necessary, kid. These people know how to entertain themselves with a lot of things - music, drama, theatre, war, you name them. But none of those interest me a single bit."

"I see," he heaved a sigh.

Nobility was not something people could earn by mere hard work. Envy riled up in him as he watched them enjoy an abundant amount of food amidst their banter though the atmosphere was all but calm peaceful. With the recent happenings in Shida's lab, the empire was on the hunt for the destroyer's head. He shrugged the thought aside, following Michele like a shadow as she engaged the men with a pleasant smile.

"Hey, can you hear me?" a familiar voice rang in his head.

Klavier blinked his eyes twice.

"Hello! I'm talking to you dammit!" the same voice said. "It's Themis! I'm talking to you right in your head. It's a technique called telepathy."

"Err," he looked around, trying to look for her physical body in the crowd. "Where are you?"

Michele shot a glare at him.

"I'm still at the infirmary. Will just woke up and is now taken care by Aem," Themis said.

"Aem?"

"Some long haired pretty boy. Anyway, do you feel something?"

"I feel lost, that's for sure."

"Ha. Ha. Very funny. Jokes aside, there's a powerful presence inbound at your location. It's something like Zellha's, but stronger. Warn the guards about this. I think this guy's really strong and will be coming in big."

"They can't handle them, is that what you're saying?"

"No. Best be prepared for anything."

"Got it," he shifted his attention to Michele. "Milady, there's a message from Themis."

"Go on."

He described Themis's explanation from the first word to the last, watching her expression turned sour as he went on.

"...I see. It sounds like a god is coming to invade soon. They've done it before, but why now of all times?"

"Did someone call me?" a sinister-sounding man asked from behind.

They turned around, glaring back at an orange-haired man wearing a predominantly black armor. Traces of beige fur peeked out of his pauldrons and along the lines of his cloak. Unlike Zellha, he did not have any trace of blackness in his sclera even though he emitted an unearthly aura that threatened to smother those near him. The small talk stopped as time virtually froze. Everyone had their eyes on the uninvited guest as he flexed his abyss-black claws.

"Go on. Don't mind me," he said, conjuring a flaming sword with the swing of his hand. "I'm just carrying out my orders."

There was no time to think. Klavier seized Michele, diving to the back of the piano when the mysterious man unleashed a powerful explosion that burnt practically everything to black dust. Despite its destruction, Klavier and Michele remained relatively untouched from the attack but the kind of power shown suggested that their opponent was either a god-like creature or a god himself. Either way, he wasn't about to allow a god to rampage and massacre everybody just because he was following instructions.

"Milady," Klavier stood up. "I'll handle this. Please stay here until it is safe."

"Are you mad, kid? That guy could take on an army by himself!"

"I have my tricks," he returned a smile. "Besides, it's my duty to protect as many people as I can from danger."

Klavier stood up, his hand gripping onto the white sword's handle as he approached his new target. He moved from one pillar to the next, keeping his footsteps as light as possible so as not to attract his attention. Klavier pulled the white sword out of its scabbard. His heart pounded, watching his opponent walk about care-freely in the destruction. All he needed was just one attack.

But the carefully planned assassination had already failed the moment Amy charged towards him. She raised her halberd, summoning the power of the thunder gods which ripped through the blade as she swung the heavy hit. He raised his free hand, stopping the crushing attack without any trace of struggle in it. He smirked at the shock that surfaced on Amy's face.

"Is that all?" he taunted, slashing down her shoulder for blood to spill all over the place.

Amy fell to the floor face first, blood gushing out of the deep wound like a burst water tank. He spat on where she laid, lifting his sword high in the air as if he was performing a public execution in front of the terrified people. Not on Klavier's watch. He burst into a sprint, deflecting the slash off its course.

"Who are you?" the man's eyes narrowed.

"None of your business," Klavier thrust his blade forward aimed at his torso. "Luther."

Klavier dashed towards Luther at a speed unlike a human's. His strikes were deadly and precise as he savagely reduced Luther's armor into loosely connected chunks of scrap metal. The deafening clangs of their blades was like music to his ears. Klavier and Luther, locked in a heavenly dance of sword fighting.

Yet the control that he was familiar with waned on him. Pain ripped across his chest but it didn't come from Luther's sword. The world around Klavier sunk - his body was yet to fully recover from Ryuuga's deadly attack. Luther would have noticed the drastic drop in his performance by now.

The pitiless assault on Luther seemed to have lost its slightest momentum, resulting in him being able to bring back the fight into another stalemate. Luther swung his right arm out authoritatively, blazing through the loosening defense of Klavier. As if he wasn't unfortunate enough, Klavier was also surrounded by countless blades. A dark, bitter feeling filled his heart - not because of the exceedingly dire situation he had found himself in, but because he had somehow seen Luther pull off those actions before. A voice whispered in his head, "Inferno Sin."

With an authoritative swing of his hands, Luther focused all that he had into those swords. They simultaneously converged onto the ground where Klavier stood helpless, ripping him apart as they zipped to and fro. He fell to his knees, practically incapacitated from the merciless strikes that shredded his body.

"I'll admit that you're good," Luther said, sending a crippling kick on Klavier's abdomen that sent him flying.

Klavier hit the ground hard, the impact of his fall was enough to destroy the water fountain behind him. He cursed his own inability to sustain the power, ignoring the intense gravity trying to keep him down as he pulled himself up.

No sooner than a few seconds after he regained his composure did Luther resume his relentless strikes. He came down on Klavier so quickly that the air around him appeared to give way. Klavier lifted his sword up in a fraction of a second, just in time to parry the incoming deathblow. Klavier forced his blade upwards, breaking free from the stalemate between his opposition's equally stubborn swords.

Klavier pointed at Luther, amassing a massive red ball of energy on the tip of his finger. But Luther was faster - he grabbed Klavier by the head, unloading power reserves stored in him that sent Klavier flying across the streets.

"You're an interesting boy," Luther said, kicking him on the stomach that forced him to lie on his back. "You do know who you're up against, no?"

"Shut your trap," Klavier rose to his feet once more but that was about everything he could do. One more hit like that and he would get knocked out cold.

"I admire your courage, but that'll be all that you've got," Luther burst into a sprint, moving so fast that he appeared to be teleporting towards Klavier when a man clad in a thick purple-black cloak and a wicked magician hat stood in his way.

"Whoa, there," he stopped Luther in his tracks with an open palm towards him. "I think we have a big misunderstanding, amigo."

"Eric? What are you doing here?" Klavier asked.

"To play my music, of course."

"Get out of my way!" Luther swung his fist across his face but it stopped an inch before it can actually hit.

"No can do, amigo," the man in purple-black cloak raised his magician hat to reveal his violet irises.

"You, what the hell did you do to me?" Luther was frozen on his position, unable to break free from what appeared to be an invisible bind created by the magician.

"I was just playing my guitar, that's all," he strummed it. "So, shall we enjoy the performance?"

"Give me back my damn shoes, you jerk!" Michele shouted as she rode on her axes towards Luther at a speed faster than a human sprint. She unleashed a flurry of slashes down his back in a fit of fiery fury, each hit causing a small explosion after another. Luther staggered from the attack, blood oozing out of the fresh wounds dealt by her deadly strikes.

Luther forced his arms out as though he broke free from the invisible binds made by Eric. The confidence on both Eric's and Michele's eyes faded as they forced themselves into a more defensive stance. Luther swung his hand across, throwing forth set of metal chains that found its way to both of their legs. He tugged them towards him, licking his lips as Eric and Michele flew forward. He slashed down Eric's shoulder and stabbed Michele on the stomach with his claw.

"So much for group effort," Luther licked the blood off his claw. "Now's your turn."

Klavier raised his sword as Luther burst forward at a phenomenal speed. But instead of going straight towards the frontal defense Klavier set up, Luther took a step to the side, striking Klavier by the side with a lunge.

"Hmph. You guys made me put in so much effort," Luther said. "Now, time to burn this city."

"Not until you're done with us," a familiar voice said. Klavier forced himself to look up to see Themis face off with the divine being along with both Will and a giant sword wielding man.

"More pests to deal with," Luther dug his ear. "Fine. Bring it on."

"Themis, get Klavier back into battle," Will said. "Aem and I will hold him while you're at it."

"Don't die on me now, Will," Themis teleported to Klavier's side, casting a spell on Klavier that numbed the pain for a moment.

"I should have known," Klavier mumbled.

"Shut up already. Let Will and Aem take care of this."

A bitter feeling pooled in his heart. Even as Will and Aem tagged in and out, Luther's peerless swordsmanship allowed him to overwhelm both of them. Will's helmet broke as Luther slashed across his face, sending Will down to the ground with a crash. Aem, distracted by Will's downfall, fought hard against the increasing odds stacked against him as Luther pressured him to the breaking point. But he could only go so far - the slowness of his swing gave Luther plenty of opportunity time to outflank him before he finally fell.

"Hmph," Luther swung his sword across, cleaning it off the blood after he slayed both Will and Aem. "I guess its game over, little girl."

"I'm not going anywhere," Themis held her staff so tight that Klavier could see it shake.

_Get up! _He screamed to his paralyzed body. He wasn't about to lose everything he had against a god. He could picture himself already on his knees in front of Sirkius, begging for his strength. Sirkius simply stood there, his face hidden under a hood that made it impossible to tell whether he was about to give in to his request. Time was not on his side. Themis was already engaged into a heated battle with Luther, holding her ground somehow with whatever magic she knew.

"What's wrong, girl?" Luther taunted, locking his sword against her staff. "Am I too fast for you to handle?"

"Don't take me too lightly, alright?" she broke the deadlock, blasting him with a beam of white light that launched him off. "Do it, Klavier!"

Klavier stood up once more, shaking off the pain that seared all over his body. He grabbed Luther by the head, smashing him down to the ground as he allowed the rage within fuel his final burst.

"Hah, you're not going to hurt me without using a god's power," Luther said.

"Thanks for reminding me," he took aim at Luther's forehead, a massive red ball of energy materialized on the tip of his finger. Fear flashed in Luther's eyes as Klavier pummeled his sword down, sending a shockwave that blew everything in its path. As the dust settled to its rightful place, the reason that kept him standing finally crumbled on him as he collapsed.

"Waaaah!" Themis's voice banged in his eardrums as she lifted him off the ground by pulling his collar. "Klavier! What the hell did you just do?!"

"Take down the enemy, what else?" a slight smile dashed on his face.

"I don't like that smile of yours. Whatever. Let's go get everyone patched up," she supported him by the shoulder, dragging their way out of the charred land. Soldiers flocked into the area, securing the perimeter, helping all the injured civilians that were caught in their crossfire.

"Say," Themis said. "How could you survive such a blast?"

"I casted a protective spell around myself before I used that final attack."

"Heh, that's real clever of you. Wait. You know magic?"

"A little."

"I hope you don't abuse such power. Your life isn't worth such destruction anyway."

"Of course I won't. If I do, I can count on you to remind me."

"W-What? Well, okay."


	10. Ch 5 - The Reverse Blade

Michele's ears pricked at the strong, distinct sounds weaved together along with a focused tone underneath its wraps. She forced open her eyes, grabbing onto a flower vase sitting at her side when she noticed an unruly strawberry blonde haired man wearing a sleeveless white robe and baggy black pants sitting in front of the piano keyboard. She knew that music at once - the first of its kind to be able to play in a different way from the conventional classical setting. The impact was so strong that the musician who pioneered the style became busy with requests from kings of various lands. To think that the musician's influence stretched far enough to land onto the hands of a trainee knight…

"That's enough already, Klavier! You've been playing the piano for hours!" Themis yanked him by the cheek, forcing him back to the infirmary bed.

"Damn, you don't hold back, do you?" he rubbed his swollen cheek.

"That's because you're the most injured in the group," she folded her arms, her eyebrows arched together to form a "V". "I won't cast any more of my healing magic if you insist on playing when you've yet to recover fully!"

"Fine…"

"Now, to administer the drips to the rest," she pulled up a silver tray full of transparent bags filled with crystal clear water from the trolley on her side. "Oh, hey Michele. How are you?"

"I was fine until you two twerps disturbed my peace," her eyebrows twitched.

"I'm sorry, milady. Didn't mean to disturb you!" Themis bowed apologetically.

"Whatever, just shut up already. Anyway," she touched Themis's chin, forcing her cold stare at her. "Don't think I didn't notice you toiling day and night taking care of us. You should take a rest soon if you don't want to burn out later."

"Gee," Themis shuffled her feet. "I don't know what to say…"

"Themis," Klavier said, looking out at the window by his side. "Why are the soldiers here?"

"Those creeps again. Hold on," she swapped out the empty sachet of Michele's drip. "Hold on, I'll deal with them."

She stomped out of the room, leaving both Michele and Klavier in a daze. They were separated by a row of beds, each of them filled with people who were injured in the battle against Luther. Many were heavily bandaged and still unconscious, but thankfully, there were no signs of imminent death on any of them. Amy was on her side, still in a vegetable state and appeared somewhat pale. A small, square box that was connected to her beeped away on an interval. Michele stared at the green numbers displayed on the black screen, raising an eyebrow as she watched the device chart a massively crooked line across.

"The heck is this supposed to mean?" Michele poked at it.

"Best not to touch it," Klavier said. "It's something that shows whether a person's vitals are still working."

"How do you know that?"

"I've been reading. So, are you feeling better now?"

"Sort of. So who beaten his ass?"

"Someone who looks like me," he folded his arms, looking up at the ceiling at avoid her inquiring stare. "Apparently he blew almost everything up defeating Luther."

"That guy's got to be strong," she scratched her head.

"Yeah," he leaned back against his pillow.

Themis burst through the door, a sour expression left on her face as a giant man clad in purple-black armor followed right behind her.

"You can't imprison me yet," she said. "I've got thirty-six patients to take care of!"

"It's the king's orders, ma'am…"

"I don't care! These people's lives are still on the line!"

"Are they?" a voice with a repulsive tone said. Michele sat upright, looking at a man wearing black-purple samurai armor carrying a metal staff with an orange jewel on its tip. An air of unholy aura surrounded him as he towered over her menacingly. "They can become my subjects while you serve your term."

"Shida," Themis gritted her teeth. "How are you still alive?"

"I wouldn't allow some lowly swordsman to kill me so easily, no? I've still a lot of experiments to carry out, and I'm just getting started. Guards, take her away. These guys are mine," he licked his lips wickedly.

"Hold up," a petite, black haired lady entered the room. She had her hair tied into two ponytails, carrying a dual-scythe on one hand that emitted an intimidating vibe. She wore an ankle-length largely red cloak with hints of gold designs that suggested royalty in it.

"Second princess," Shida gave a bow as she walked past him. "How nice to see you. What brings you here?"

"It's none of your business, Shida," she turned to Klavier. "You. You're coming with me."

"What?"

"It's an order," she pointed her scythe at him.

"Whoa there," he stared at the sharp edges. "Okay, I'll go. I'll go. So don't point that thing at me, please."

"Don't worry," she smashed the blunt edge of her dual scythe on his neck, the impact strong enough to make him lose consciousness. "I'll take care of him."

"Grrr! Let go of him!" Themis bounced out of the guards' grasp only to be stopped by even more of them. The second princess jumped out of the window along with the unconscious Klavier on her shoulder, leaving the group with the rest for Shida to play with.

"You know what to do," Shida snapped his fingers, prompting a dark figure to step forward. "Iikuto Ryuuga."

His vision was foggy, almost as though he was looking through murky water. Clangs and bangs filled his hearing, amidst the chaos were soft murmuring among people around him. He opened his eyes, tasting the bitterness of metal in the sand below his chin. A dash of red ran across his eyes then a soft thud gave way to a window of silence.

"Please understand, Klavier, this is for the child," her soothing voice calmed him momentarily.

Wait, what child? He bounced up to his feet, staring back at the hundreds sitting in a large ring of elevated platforms, cheering and chanting the name "Alice" in every succession. Right before him was another lady who appeared a little like one who took him, her body yet to grow out of the childhood stage, her violet eyes empty of emotion. On her hands was an oversized scythe, emitting the same repulsive aura, only more vicious which sent chills down his spine.

"Target confirmed," she changed her stance. "Eliminate."

Klavier reached out for his sword stashed on his waist when she kicked up a sandstorm with a single swing of the deadly weapon. He somersaulted back, landing softly on his feet, ignoring the loud roars of excitement that filled the air.

"Kill him! Kill him!" the spectators shouted.

It felt as though he went through this event before even though it was the first time standing in the arena pit with an opponent to deal with. It was blazing hot, the sun rays burning through his skin so much that it threatened to cook the flesh to a good roast. But there was no time to fret about the scorching heat - the scythe girl whom the spectators called Alice moved to him so fast that it was akin to teleporting. Klavier pulled the white sword out of its scabbard, blocking the incoming attack that nearly sliced through his body. But he was a bit late in his reaction - the tip of the scythe found its way to his neck, doing nothing more than a soft poke that allowed blood to escape from the wound. It was then he recognized that Alice wasn't one to be messed with even if she was just a kid.

Klavier pushed the weapon out of his neck, smashing her foot onto her abdomen that pushed her back to a relatively safe distance. In a blink of an eye, Alice moved in right before his eyes, swinging a long round-about attack towards Klavier. He raised his blade, parrying against the strike but the tip of the scythe continued to race towards him.

Klavier dived down, evading it but barely. He seized Alice by the thigh, pushing himself to her side and used the shoulders as a support to lift her off the ground. With her master arm locked in his grasp, he collapsed backwards, smashing her right back down to the sand for a crippling blow to the back.

Pain was written all over her face as she forced herself up. But it wasn't about time for him to show mercy to his opponent. He swung his blade across, smashing it against the back edge of her scythe that kicked up a powerful storm around them. But the heavy opposing force faded as fast as it got to him. He lowered his sword, cursing at the blinding sand that surrounding him for obscuring his vision. A yellowish silhouette figure formed in front of him, the tip of the scythe shining brightly even in the perceived darkness. Klavier swerved to the right, evading the incoming attack effortlessly as he smashed his blade right on her abdomen that sent her crashing across the sandy arena.

Alice somersaulted, smashing her hand onto the ground that forced her to a halt. Klavier burst into a sprint, swinging his blade forward with all his might only to be stopped by an equally stubborn force with her weapon.

"That blade," she glanced at the shiny back edge of his sword. "What kind of blade is that?"

"Concentrate on the battle, girl," Klavier forced his sword upwards, breaking the deadlock between them. Alice was thrown off by the impact, leaving absolutely no time for her to recover from the stagger as Klavier thrust his blade forward that found its way to her heart. But the sword's edge refused to sink below the cloth, hurling her across the space like a tiny barrel rolling on its sides.

"Enough," a low-pitched voice said just as he was about to deal the finishing blow.

"Who are you?" Klavier stared back at a sage-looking man wearing the dark purple cloak, sheathing his sword lest it threatened the elder.

"Alice still has a long way to go," the man pulled the unconscious kid up. "She's still too soft. Elza, training's over. Turn off the simulation."

"Yes, father," her voice echoed in the room as it deconstructed the environment back to a metallic set of walls around them.

"Father?" Klavier asked but the old man vanished in thin air.

"I apologize for the trouble you had to go through," the same woman wearing the red cloak approached him, giving an apologetic bow.

"It's no biggie. So, where am I?"

"Bariura Palace. Father ordered that I send you here to help train the child. We witnessed first-hand your true powers, mister Klavier and would like your help her get into form."

"What if I don't comply?"

"I'm afraid I'll need to silence you. But we'll try to avoid it as much as possible."

"Fine," he dug his ear. "So, princess Elza, please bring me to my cell."

"Aren't you a pessimistic fella? Father told me to get you a special place since he needs you to be healthy," she led the way out of the metal confines.

"I see. Please send him my thanks."

Gardeners filled the area, keeping the plants green while butlers kept the daily guests busy in their house. The sheer number of people in the castle already suggested the kind of extravagant lifestyle they got to lead. The palace was not restricted to that large plot of land; it extended so far and wide that he could see the two inner walls surrounding it where the inhabitants were most probably either the nobles or the filthy rich. But there was an air of tension everywhere, almost like they were living in absolute fear under the king's leadership.

Even on the dinner table with the king, people remained reserved in their thoughts, eating away in the massive feast on the long tables. Alice sat by Klavier's side, munching away in an emotionless state. The silence was killing him. But he could do little but to follow the norm just to get away from unnecessary punishment.

It was like escaping a boring lecture when he left the dining hall. He couldn't stand the way how the king was staring at him intensely, lost in his internal thought. Klavier's intuition tugged him on the shoulder, crying out to him in babbles as though it was trying to warn him of a dire consequences for messing around the king's affairs. He could try bailing out now, but it wouldn't do him justice since it would be off with his head if he didn't make a proper planning for the escape.

His dormitory was situated at the tower. The space was not normally used except when there were special guests of the empire that required them to stay for a period of time longer than a month. Klavier could almost taste the privilege behind the thoughts of the emperor but his subconscious squashed it. With so much time given to him for rest, he could just well use it to plan his escape. The thought sent chills down his spine, his mind screaming at him to create the flawless action plan at once. But the hype died down the moment Elza stood in front of the door, leaning against the ledge with her hand supporting her head as she looked at the twinkling night sky dreamily.

"G-Good evening, miss," he bowed.

"What is it like to be free?" she mumbled.

"Excuse me?" he tilted his head to the side.

"I'm sorry. I was just a bit tired. So how's the food?"

"Better than anything that I've tasted, that's for sure."

"That's good to hear," a slight smile dashed across her lips.

"What brings you here?"

"That blade of yours. Why did it not cut Alice?"

"As far as fighting is concerned, I'll try not kill if I can. Besides, I wouldn't want to see my own sibling get hurt by some stranger in a set up battle."

"You've got a point," the tips of her lips lifted. "In any case, please take care of her."

"Sure," a sad smile illuminated on his face under the moonlight as he closed the door on her.

Elza's devotion towards Alice was something to reckon with. He sensed a strong desire coming from her but couldn't make out what exactly that was. All he knew was that she wanted Alice to be safe. He recalled experiencing a similar event, where he and his sister shared a similar relationship. Unlike Alice, his sister was hounded by an unknown disease, causing her to cough blood out at random times of the day. It was a miracle that she was alive for a very long time; stories of those infected by it didn't end well - their victims living at most for just two weeks. She somewhat resembled Elza, most notably with the ponytail hairstyle and strong blood eyes.

A myriad of emotions stirred in him as her face became clearer in his head. She had to be alive, at least that was what his hopeful self would tell him. The unsettled feelings would definitely leave him to stare at the wall rather than fall asleep if he continued dwelling in it. He pulled open the door, checking the flanks just to make sure Elza was not near him before he moved towards the palace.

Contrary to his initial belief, the palace was not very tight in its security. In fact, the employees were allowed to roam about the place so long as they did not enter the restricted areas guarded by heavily armored pike men. But it wasn't time to get comfortable with the life in there, he maintained his incognito approach in his search for a piano until he found one in a ballroom just below the tower he was situated at.

He started with a gentle, soft tune, slowly giving way to a ballad, the whole time maintaining his mental gaze on the smiling face of his sister. It was all coming back to him. The days he spent taking care of her as a newborn, protecting her from bullies, the moments when she broke the news of her disease to the family to the final days on her deathbed. As he put the song to a close, a bittersweet feeling lingered on.

"Wow, that was good," he heard a familiar voice.

"Elza, milady!" he jumped out of the seat. "What brings you here?"

"Nothing much," Elza maintained a genuine grin. "It takes a lot of courage to play a song from the depths of your heart, doesn't it?"

"You were listening?"

"The whole time."

"I'm honored," he scratched his head.

"There's no need to be," she cracked a giggle. "Will it create inconvenience if I were to request you to teach me how to master the piano?"

"Um, okay," he beckoned her over. "It's a bit complicated but once you get it, it gets easy. As for everything, you need to know the boring basics before you can start playing any song you want. So here's how…"


	11. Ch 6 - Plan

Michele could safely call Shida's lab a mess. Rats ran rampant all over the floor, bits of charred metal and broken glass were also scattered. Even her prison-like cell wasn't spared from the mess. A black blade chipped off from its handle sat beside her. She picked it up, ignoring the strange sensation that zipped through her arm upwards. The blade oozed with a strong desire to taste blood, threatening to sink into her skin the moment she touched it. She wrapped it in a thick cloth, shoving it into her bloody dress when a soft thud broke the silence.

"Yes, sir," a husky voice said, echoing in the small tunnel of the dungeon.

A silhouette of a man wearing a breastplate and a cape formed before her. As the shadow receded, a man with unruly brown hair approached her. A wicked smile surfaced on his face as they locked in their stares at one another.

"Good morning, Miss Michele," he greeted, unlocking the door for her.

"What do you want, Ryuuga?"

"Lively as always, eh, Michele? That's good. Because I am your facilitator and I will assist you to become someone way more powerful than what you are now."

"I didn't ask for it, twerp. But thanks for the gift," a smirk dashed across her face.

"Well said. I kind of like you already. Not like some pseudo knight that claims he does not need power. Follow me. You know what will happen if you don't."

The phrase "pseudo knight" rings a bell. She glanced at the cloth holding onto the black blade, an image of Klavier pulling out his broken sword rampaged in her mind. He couldn't have referred to Klavier in that sense, or did he?

Ryuuga led her into the main facility of Shida's lab. It was by no means a comfortable trip - it stunk of rotting flesh and the air was full of agonizing noises. As they made their way down a spiral stairway, she caught sight Will, Aem and Amy chained at one corner, their heads bobbing about slightly that made them look a little zombie-like. Michele heaved a sigh so loud that it provoked Ryuuga's attention.

"You know," Michele said. "You could tell me what's going on already."

"You'll find out soon enough."

"I don't like to wait."

"Shut!" he bellowed right at her face. "Up...okay. Don't ask, just follow."

"Ooo, I'm so scared. So, is that all a death threat can do?"

"I swear, if not for Shida's orders, I'll tear you into ribbons right here, right now."

"Man, you're boring. Come on, lead me to your playhouse already."

"Ah, so good to see you alive and kicking, miss Michele," Shida said as they moved towards an encased area of the lab where he sat down pushing buttons at seemingly random points on a huge board in front of him.

"It's my pleasure to be at your service," a wicked smile emerged on her face.

"Now if you'll excuse us," Shida glanced at Ryuuga. Ryuuga gestured a gentle bow, leaving promptly without question. "Miss Michele, I believe you know why you're important for this project."

"I kind of forgot. Mind telling me you grandfather story?"

"As you wish. I do apologize for the stench outside, I've been working with a couple of magicians to attempt recreating life. Or in more simple terms, to summon the dead."

"You perked my interest already. Go on, I'm listening."

"It takes a great deal of magic to do this sort of thing. Some even died trying to achieve it for the power they forcibly wield is far too great to handle. So, in these little experimentations of mine, I want to make us stronger to be able to handle the strains of this unknown feat."

"Blah blah blah," she stuck out her tongue. "So basically you want to make me a 'Summoner', eh?"

"Correct. I offered this opportunity to another person but he blew my lab up instead."

"I see. I wouldn't want to be that kind of jerk. So, go on, equip me with the things you need me to have."

"Such enthusiasm. I like you already."

"Psst Michele, can you hear me?" a voice whispered in her ear.

"Oh, it's Themis, isn't it?" she thought out loud as she tapped on her ear.

"Are you okay there? I heard the rest are still injured."

"Oh yeah, sure, we're fine. Themis, I'm going to be a Summoner."

"Oh. A Summoner. What? A Summoner? Why the heck did you agree with that?"

"That's my only option available if I don't want to end up like those lab rats of Shida's."

"How long do we have?"

"Hold on. I'll ask him," she turned her attention to Shida. "Um, if I may ask, sir. How long does this procession last?"

"Three days," Shida answered.

"You heard that right, Themis?" she returned to her own internal thought.

"Three days eh. We don't have much time. I would normally rely on Will to bail me out in these kinds of situations…"

"Look. Your knight is out cold somewhere in this lab. There's no way he can bail us out. What about that boy Klavier?"

"What? You want to mobilize that rogue knight to do the job?"

"Just do it. He might have what it takes. To get us out that is."

"O-Okay, I'll try… stay in touch okay?"

"Sure."

"Miss Michele," Shida said. "Now that I have your agreement, I would like to begin the process. It's broken down to three stages…"

A flash of light dashed across his eyes. The black-purple haired kid collapsed to her knees, clutching her stomach as she writhed in pain.

"I'll admit you're good," he said, resting the blade on his elbow, its back edge sinking into his skin slightly for blood to escape. "But you'll need to focus a lot more if you're going to match yourself to a true demon."

"Don't insult me," she stood up, lifting her scythe off the sandy ground. "I'm not done yet."

"That's the spirit," he raised his sword. "Show me what you've got, Alice."

Alice took a step forward, raising her scythe up to slightly over head level. Everything around them seemed to fall silent as their eyes locked on one another. Klavier burst forth like a rocket, pummeling his sword down so fast that it was virtually impossible to see it coming. However, Alice proved him wrong, she smashed her weapon against his, releasing a powerful shockwave that shook the ground around them. But that was about all she could do - she staggered from the incredible force so much that she toppled over a loose rock behind her, allowing Klavier to shove her right to the ground. Fear overtook the once emotionless expression on her face as he lunged the blade towards her. But it smashed right into the sand, an inch away from her head.

"Training's over for today," Klavier said, pulling the sword up. "You've made good progress in that speed of yours. You need to work on maintaining that balance no matter how hard the clash is."

"Well done, Alice," the king emerged from the shadows as the environment dismantled to its original metal confines. "I'll see you two back in the dining room for dinner."

"Yes sir," he bowed, watching Alice walk out of the room with the king.

"Good evening, Klavier," Elza's voice shook him. "What's with the long face?"

"N-Nothing much," he sheathed his white sword, following Elza out of the facility and back to the massive palace.

"I see."

"Anyway, I noticed that you won't show yourself when I mingle with Alice. Is something going on between you two?"

"It's father. He told me not to reveal my presence to her at all costs."

"Any reason behind it?"

"Not really."

"That must kind of suck," he glanced at the floor.

"Why's that?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Um…" he scratched his head. "Don't you want to see the world?"

"Of course! But it's all about wars around here and as the second princess, it's not going to be easy to get out of here."

They continued on with their conversation as they walked down the heavily trafficked hallway. Countless eyes were on them, the servant's internal thought as obvious as them telling Klavier their desire to kill him. It could be the way how Elza was so lively around him. But the bliss he could give her with his companionship could only last so long. After all, it was never his intention to stay in the palace and live a comfortable life.

Klavier walked up the tower, glancing at his back just to make sure that Elza wasn't following him. He needed a plan to escape and fast now that his body was starting to get used to the lifestyle the royalties led. He shut the door behind him, unfolding the thick and long scroll on the table that revealed the blueprints of the palace and the immediate residences around it.

In it indicated all the possible routes he could take to make an escape. Many were heavily guarded with the royal soldiers which had the capability of destroying mortal, not because of their peerless swordsmanship but more of the small hand cannon they carried around on their waist. He witnessed its power to kill a mortal with just the pull of the trigger even if they wore heavy plated armor on. He crossed out the routes guarded by those knights, leaving only two options available.

"Ugh… hey Klavier, can you hear me?"

"Themis. I was about to contact you," he thought out loud. "I'm thinking about a way to get out of this place but I require your opinion."

"Well, looks like we're on the same page. Okay, so let's see what you have."

He described the two paths open for him, the dangers behind each one of them - down the zip line to the roofs of the neighboring hovels or by jumping down an epic number of meters off the garden outside the tower.

"Hmm… if it's me, I'd probably take the zip line. Wait. Do you know how to run through a zip line?" Themis asked.

"Um, yeah. I've got two swords that can support me."

"That broken sword isn't going to help you much. We've got up to three days to pull it off. So we'd better be quick."

"Why three days?"

"Because Michele is going to become Shida's guinea pig to this thing called 'summoning'."

"What? Seriously?"

"Yeah. She'll be fine. I think she's just playing along with Shida to appease him."

"Okay, if you say so. Themis, please coordinate the escape. I'm anticipating that it'll be a high profile one."

"Oh. Okay. Make sure to get on horseback if you intend to get out of this place within an hour. You know how to ride a horse, right?"

"Um… I'll figure a way around it."

"Michele's an idiot to count on an idiot like you, you know that? You've got three days to get it right. So it's victory or death."

Themis's words sunk into his head. There was no way he learn such a skill over such a short time. Or was there? He peeked out of the window, staring at the stables just below the garden. The tips of his lips lifted.

Now was to find a distractor since the chances for escape would depend on how good that person did the job. He pulled out a circle emblem that had the symbol of fire from his pocket, joining his hands together as he chanted a spell under his breath. As if materializing out of thin air, an orange-haired man wearing a largely black armor stepped out of the magic circle. Traces of beige fur peeked out of his pauldrons and along the lines of his cloak, his sclera somewhat black.

"To think that I've been summoned by a human," his eyes narrowed. "What do you wish from me, Summoner?"

"I believe you know who I am," Klavier smirked.

"D-uh. I kicked your ass, and you kicked mine just a couple of days ago. I still can't believe I lost though."

"Luther, this is important. Please don't tell anybody that I'm a Summoner, okay? Now, the reason why I brought you here is to ask for your help. You see, I'm in a pinch right now."

"Go on," he folded his arms.

"I need to find Vanros Klavier, but the king of this empire will not let me go until I train this kid called Alice."

"So you intend to escape knowing they'll be after your head."

"That's the point. To reduce that certainty, I'm going to need to count on you. So, here's the plan…"

Klavier filled Luther in with his thoughts about how the operation was supposed to be done.

"Hmm… interesting. Get Zellha on the line. I think she'll be interested," Luther said.

"Can I count on you to brief her? They will call me in anytime."

"Anything you say," he waved a goodbye as his body faded into the environment.

"Klavier," Elza's voice pierced through the door. "Is anybody in there?"

"U-Um, no, milady! What's the matter?"

"You're making the king wait."

"Crap."


	12. Ch 7 - Cornered

There was something different about Klavier's way of playing the piano. It sounded more soulful, mixed with melancholy and hope stirred together with a cello and a violin into a piece of coherent music that took her mind into a parallel universe. Memories reeled in her mind's eye, reminiscing the moments of Alice's birth and the new desire that burned within to protect the infant. Her vision started to distort like she was looking through a body of water. She blinked, wiping the tears off her eyes fast enough before Klavier turned around. He raised his eyebrows as their stares locked on each other for a split second.

"Did something happen?" he said with a gentle grin.

"I just remembered something, that's all."

"Must be a bitter one," he stashed the white sword on his waist as he rose from his seat.

"No, not really. But still, I wished that father would allow me to show myself to her…"

"You mean Alice?"

"Yeah," her eyes lit with a hint of enthusiasm.

"The time will come."

"But how can that happen without father ever knowing?"

"He doesn't need to know."

"What?"

"He doesn't _need_ to know about it," he turned his back on her, walking out of the piano room before she could throw any more questions at him.

She wasn't about to let him get away with her question left unanswered like that. She dashed towards the exit, reaching out for Klavier when a beam of light flashed on her. The environment around her turned bloody, shadows of soldiers charging into battle only to be slaughtered by human-like creatures that wielded unearthly powers. In the carnage was a platinum-haired man, the solidness in his grey eyes shown nothing more apart from the desire of the widespread destruction. On his hand was a great sword whose guard resembled that of angel wings. He stared right back at her, mouthing the words "The end is near" before charging towards her at an inhuman speed akin to teleporting.

Elza awoke abruptly, the aftershocks of the dream replaying in her mind. He wasn't about to disappear just when Bariura Empire needs him, would he? No, it was a very real possibility. After all, she was the one who took him from Themis's care against his will. She tossed herself out of the bed, donning her battle equipment, picking the scythe that leaned against the wall and stormed out of the room. She zipped through the countless pathways and flight of stairs, unable to shake off the cryptic message he sent in that dream.

The air around her started to feel heavy as she approached Klavier's room. It couldn't have been that gravity decided to pull her down harder. Rather, it seemed like there was an intruder, a very strong one for that person to release an aura that threatened to smother her. She lightened her footsteps, keeping her body low as she snuck up towards the top of the tower when she noticed an orange haired man stand in front of Klavier's room with his arms folded. She leaned against the wall, studying his movements but all he did was yawn or dig his ear with his black claws. Perhaps he wasn't a dangerous person-

"Hmph, you're the first person who dares to stalk me," his voice reverberated in her ears, sending shock waves that shook her to the core. "Second Imperial Princess, Elza."

"Who are you?" she withdrew from her hiding, clenching the handle of her scythe.

"Your worst nightmare. Pfft, that was cheesy. Maybe I should try another one."

"You'd best leave, stranger. Do so and your life will be spared."

"Oh? If you're going to spare my life, then what about Klavier's?"

"What?"

"You heard me right. What. About. Klavier's?" his black sclera and red irises piercing through her.

"You," she pulled her weapon out. "What did you do to him?!"

"Whoa," he raised his hands. "I didn't do nothing to him. I'm just a _god_ loitering around here minding my own business. Oh, in case you don't know, my name is Luther, not 'you'."

"Get out of here, or else."

"Or else what? Cut through me? No can do, milady."

Elza zapped through him, putting all the anger into a single strike as she swung the scythe with her all. Most enemies would either dive away from it or get slain. But Luther did neither of them - he raised his arm, blocking the attack by the wrist. The overwhelming force ought to throw him off. But no, he stood firm on his ground. A smirk surfaced on his formerly poker face. He clenched his fist, throwing a lightning quick punch to the face that sent her sliding across the floor. She wiped the blood off her mouth, spitting out a molar tooth.

"I like those eyes," Luther said. "Ready to go all out? Because I'm waiting."

"Shut it," she raised her scythe.

"You don't really understand the situation, do you? In case you don't know, I was the one who destroyed half the capital, leaving Klavier and his friends at the state they were. If it takes that many people to stop me, what makes you think you can stop me alone?"

"Hmph, don't get so full of yourself, boy," she loosened her footing. "The empire don't call me Inferno Elza for nothing. I'll take you out single-handedly, I promise you that."

"Let's see _if_ you can," he stomped on the floor, the sound rippling across the palace that shook the stillness of the night.

"Klavier! That's the signal!" Themis shouted in his mind. "Go! Elza must not find you!"

"I'm on it," Klavier said, dashing across the rooftop of the highest point in the palace, pulling out both swords from their scabbards.

He leapt into the air, joining the blades together into an "X" as he hooked onto the thick metal line that led him down to the residences just outside the palace. He tumbled across the roof, dissipating the excessive force that could break his legs with the hard landing before diving further down to the stables, taking cover in a hay bale when a group of guards patrolling the area came over to investigate the noise source.

He dropped his hand onto the handle of his white sword as the guards closed in to his hiding spot. One of them stepped forward, wielding a spear to poke onto the hay bale when Klavier pulled the sword out with so much speed that it appeared like a flash bang that momentarily dazed them. He bounced out of his hiding, smashing his sword flat on their noses in quick succession. The moment he sheathed his weapon, they collapsed, leaving no chance for them to shout for help. With the obstacles taken care of, he seized a horse from the stables, forcing it into a furious gallop.

"Klavier, come in," Themis's voice rung in his head.

"I got a horse," he thought out loud. "How's Michele?"

"She's with me along with the other soldiers. We're currently riding down the town using a hijacked carriage so we'll meet you shortly. In the meantime, if you bump into guards, please do not ram them over. They know how to disable horsemen."

"Okay."

"Keep going straight. I think I saw you already…"

"Yee-ha!" Michele's voice shook the air as she cracked the whip. "Come on, you lazy bum, my mom can move faster than you!"

"Michele… you're not being serious about what you just said, are you?" Klavier's eyebrow twitched.

"Of course not."

"Thieves!" a hostile voice shouted from behind. "You won't get away with this! Pull over right now, the whole lot of you!"

"No way in hell, pal," Klavier pulled out his white blade. "Themis, we've got company."

"It's not just one, there's four behind," Themis commented.

"Tell me where they are. I haven't learnt horseback riding well enough to be able to look anywhere just yet."

"If you say so…err, to your northwest?"

His mind flashed the moments when he tried to slash a moving target on horseback. It ended in disaster, with him puking halfway through his slash before he bumped onto a wall that nearly split his head into two. With experience being the best teacher, he decided to close his eyes, trusting his other senses to fulfill his needs. He swung his sword across, picking up a small resistance to the motion before a loud, agonizing scream filled the air.

"That's one down, three more," Themis said.

"How the hell did you hit somebody with such lousy attacks?" Michele commented.

"Shut it. If you think you're so good, then do my job."

"Requesting for support! These men are dangerous!" the town guards shouted, prompting a massive mobilization of the remaining personnel with an ear-splitting siren. Tens of lightly armored militia flocked to block their path, raising their swords against them in full anticipation of their arrival.

"Great, we've got pursuers _and_ a barricade to go through," Michele said.

"Hoi," Themis said. "If we don't clear them, we're going to get disabled and wasted there."

"Zellha," Klavier said. "Move in at our location. We need you to clear the path."

"With pleasure," a silhouette of a woman overshadowed the moon.

The moonlight shined on the figure, revealing a skimpily dressed lady whose golden hair sparkled brilliantly in the light. Zellha swung her hand across, raining down thousands of white and silver ethereal swords at the makeshift blockade that dispersed the crowd and killed a few. Klavier's and Michele's horse blazed past the wreckage, entering into the outer part of the empire.

"Klavier, who was that you called just now?" Michele asked.

"She's an acquaintance of mine," he replied.

"Klavier, we've yet to lose the other three horsemen," Themis said. "They closing in to our flanks. Michele, can you take care of the one at your left? I'll take care of the one behind us."

"Got it," Michele pulled an axe out, staring at the guard so intensely that she appeared to lose focus of the route in front of her. She threw the axe, its blade smashing right through the helmet and into the head.

Klavier moved in to the right, clashing swords with the other mounted unit. The apparent inexperience of horseback combat pulled him down - his opponent managed to pierce through his shabby defense, but wasn't close enough to do more than shallow cuts. Klavier swiped his blade onto the neck of the enemy horse, exerting sufficient power to cause it to stagger and bring his opponent down to the floor.

Themis's wand protruded out of the carriage door, firing shots of pink light towards the final pursuer. Her opponent dodged the attacks effortlessly, moving in so fast that it momentarily broke her concentration when he tried to slash through the door. Klavier closed in to the opponent, clashing swords with him when Themis unloaded another round. Klavier leaned to the side, barely evading the bolt that found its way to the intended recipient's head that sent him crashing to the floor.

"Hey! I could have hit you!" Themis shouted.

"I thought you needed some help since you're tiny," Klavier replied.

"Why you…!"

"Anyway, how far are we from the final destination?"

"Hang in there for another two minutes. I think we're close."

"That is assuming we don't get any hiccups," Michele said. "You know, I can see the empire is bringing in the bad boys from here."

"How does it look like?" Klavier asked.

"A house with crazy big wheels."

"Great, that's a tank on us."

"What's a tank?"

"It's a house of massive destruction. One shot at us and we're all dead."

"Oh. Okay. So. How are we going to deal with that?"

"Themis, do you know any destructive magic?"

"Nope. I can only shoot holy bolts."

"What about you, Michele?"

"I can do a certain trick but that'll require us to stop."

"Got it," Klavier brought the horse to a gradual stop. "Get off now. We're going to fight. Michele, to the front."

"Got it," Michele said, bouncing out of the carriage master's seat.

A reddish aura danced over her brow as she unleashed her all, the range of her attack was so far and wide that it ripped the ground, slashing across the armor of the tank to create countless angry cross marks of various angles. However, the mammoth machine still moved forward at a speed so fast that they didn't even have a window of time to dodge its incoming attack. Klavier could hear Michele scream desperate instructions to dive away from it, but he paid no mind to it, pulling the broken black sword just on time that brought the metal body to a complete halt without any struggle.

"Bellow, Sirkius," he mumbled as he slashed its body into half. Michele dropped to her knees as the tank blew up right in front of them, the orange hue of the explosion amplifying the intense bloodlust in Klavier's brown irises.

"To think that a man could single-handedly stop a monster like that, I must commend you for your strength," a sinister voice provoked them.

"Good to see you again, Shida," Klavier held the handle of the white sword this time. "So what's in store for us?"

"I'm honestly not very sure. I'm here to fetch my experiment, that's all. I suggest you do not resist."

"He doesn't need to," Michele pointed her axes at Shida. "Because I'm the one who's going to."

"Guess it can't be helped after all. But it's not like I was expecting it. Alice, Ryuuga, they're all yours."

"With pleasure, sir," Ryuuga said, stepping forward to overshadow Shida. Beside him was the scythe girl, her eyes showing no form of emotion as she stared at Klavier.

"Michele," Klavier said. "Take care of Alice. I'll deal with Ryuuga."

"If you say so," Michele said, provoking Alice to chase her before she dashed out of sight.

"What is your motive, Ryuuga?" Klavier pulled his white sword out, its back edge gleaming under the moonlight.

"I believe I told you. To purge the world of darkness. The last time I couldn't kill you off, but there's nothing to stop me this time."

"So be it."


	13. Ch 8 - Desperation

The deafening clangs of their blades was music to his ears. Klavier and Ryuuga, locked in a wild dance of sword fighting, their swords coloring the air with a good mix of black and white. But Ryuuga was faster, swinging his sword with nearly unparalleled competence, tearing Klavier up bit by bit with every successful small cut that pierced through his tight defense. Ryuuga's blade stuck with his stubbornly, threatening to overpower Klavier with his unquenchable thirst for his blood. Klavier broke the clash between them, swinging his sword up so much that Ryuuga tipped off from his balance. He grabbed his scabbard, lunging it onto Ryuuga's stomach along with a head splitting smash to the head with the blade.

"Since when did you start fighting like that?" Ryuuga asked, wiping the blood off his mouth.

"When I wielded this sword. I now have the choice that most swordsmen don't," Klavier replied, raising the blade over his shoulders and leaned forward, leveraging the weight of his metal extension against his legs to maximize sprinting efficiency.

"No wonder it doesn't feel the same as compared to the last time."

"I see, so you noticed already. So what if it feels different?" Klavier zoomed past Ryuuga. But he did more than just get past him - there were abrasion cuts on Ryuuga's limbs and at the middle of his torso.

"You, how did you…?"

"Is there any more need to explain the move?" he rested the blade on his shoulder. "I would've chopped your limbs off and cut your chest open if not for this reversed blade."

"Showing mercy to your own opponent. Just how stupid can you get?"

"Would you rather lose your life or lose your pride?" He sheathed his blade, his left hand hovering slightly above the handle in anticipation of Ryuuga's next strike.

"I told you already. It's kill or be killed!" Ryuuga thrust his sword forward.

Klavier wasn't about to fall for another attack under the same kind of stance Ryuuga used that broke his other sword into two. Ryuuga's blade screamed at his ear as it closed in, supposedly trying to invoke fear to shake him up. But this instance of ignorance was bliss - Klavier pulled his sword out so hard and fast that the draw speed out speed his opponent's swing, landing a brutal hit across his body that thrown him high in the air before he could lose his head. Ryuuga touched down onto the floor, the impact of his fall created a small crater around him, his eyes rolled up and his mouth wide open.

Klavier dreaded using that technique - one that guaranteed the death of his opponent regardless of how prepared he was for the attack. Even his armor could not stand against the power exerted from the attack, shattering into bits and pieces of metal before his blade created a deep, wide slash across his body. If it was that potent with a dull edge, it would be even scarier to think about it when Klavier pulled it off with a normal cutting edge.

"Now, to back Michele and Themis up," Klavier mumbled as he sheathed the sword.

"Target hostile. Engage," Alice said.

Bursting forth in mid-air at a breakneck speed, she head-butted Michele on the torso, sending her into the air and crashing through the brick floor. Michele smashed her axes down, forcing herself to a grinding stop, blood oozing out from a tiny wound on the head. Alice came down so quickly that the air around her appeared to give way. But Michele was faster, she raised her axes in a fraction of a second just in time to parry Alice's attack. Michele pummeled her foot forward, pushing Alice by the side that sent her crashing onto a hovel.

"Where are you going?" Alice's voice shook Michele to the core.

Horror and amazement bit her neck, her eyes burning as she watched Alice return to her feet. Alice couldn't have been this powerful for a child. Impossible, just impossible that any kid could still be alive from that deathblow.

It didn't matter; the battle had to end quickly. Michele dashed forward at the fastest her legs would allow her to go. Alice raised her scythe, blocking the attack effortlessly. The force was supposed to sway her foundation yet she stood firm against it. Alice shot a glare at Michele, piercing right through her as she broke Michele's weakening defense with a mighty upward cut of the scythe.

"This is the result of Klavier's training?" Michele mumbled. To think that a person younger than her could have such a resolve, Michele couldn't help but to doubt her own resolve.

"I'll defeat you and take him back home," Alice said, raising her scythe at Michele.

"Home? What home?"

"An outsider doesn't need to know," Alice thrust her weapon forward that landed flat on Michele's chest which sent her crashing across the floor.

"I can tell you this much," Michele said as she struggled to get back up. "Klavier's trying to get home but your dad isn't allowing him to."

"Father's word is absolute, take him back or execute him."

"Do you even get what I mean? What your father's doing is trying to coop him up here for his own benefit!"

"Nonsense. Father won't do such a thing."

"Then why is it that he wants you to execute him if you can't take him back?"

"What?" Alice's eyes narrowed.

"You heard me, didn't you?" Michele rose to her feet. "Your dad wants him dead."

"Are you questioning father's authority?" she smashed her scythe against Michele's axes. The strength was real; Alice was capable of bringing Michele down to knees.

"I'm questioning the rationale behind that order!" Michele swung her axes, overpowering her opponent just before the scythe blade could sink into her shoulder.

She wasn't about to let some power drain get the better of her. Michele swerved to the side, ignoring the burning sensation as the scythe's sharp blade slid across her arm, tearing apart the delicate ball dress that left her sleeve in tatters. She grabbed Alice by the head, smashing her head against hers, the force strong enough to kick Alice down to the floor. Most people wouldn't be able to recover immediately from that devastating attack too since Michele was known for being a hard head. Even so, her forehead throbbed with that unpleasant feeling.

"You sure are tough for a kid," Michele commented as Alice supported herself up with the scythe.

"Michele!" she heard a familiar voice from behind. She turned around, staring at an already worn out Klavier.

"You're pretty beat up."

"I know."

"Stand back, this is my fight," she raised her axes. "That kid will learn not to mess with me."

It was for the best. She couldn't stand thinking about the scenario of him shouldering all the weight on his own, not after he dealt with an opponent that left him in a bad state.

"Klavier?" Alice's expression softened, lowering her weapon as he approached. "It is you! Come, father is waiting for your return. He will spare all of you if you listen to his-"

"I'm sorry, Alice but I'm not going to comply," his gentle but sharp stare shot through her.

"Why?" she tightened her grip on the scythe. "I must eliminate you if you don't listen…!"

"You'll have to get past me first, chum," Michele stepped in front of Alice. "Come on, throw everything you've got at me."

"Fine," Alice shifted her stance. "You'll regret crossing the line."

She swung her right arm out, her scythe levitated off the ground, a pool of purple-black aura forming around it. As if she wasn't unfortunate enough, Michele was also surrounded by thousands of black balls. A dark, bitter feeling filled her heart - not because of the exceedingly dire situation she had found herself in, but because she had somehow seen Alice pull off those actions before. Alice clenched her fist, forcing the balls to explode into fireworks on and around Michele. Michele dug her axes to the ground, her legs wobbly from the impact that rendered her incapacitated.

"Michele!" Klavier's voice rung in her ears.

"I'm fine," she pushed him away, forcing herself back up. The kid's attack won't get the better of her.

But her body told her otherwise. She slouched forward, clutching onto her stomach as she unloaded a great deal of blood onto the floor, forcing her on her knees from the sudden massive loss. So the training was real. Klavier did raise Alice to become a fearsome fighter. But giving up was the last thing that should come true. Michele would rather be killed than to concede defeat to someone younger than her.

"You've done enough," Klavier rested his hand on her shoulder, wrapping his bloody white robe on her body now that her dress was completely blown up from the destruction. "Come on, take a rest already."

She opened her mouth, wanting to protest against the move when her eyes caught sight of a dragon tattoo on his back. Its body was orange, taking the image of a long, winded, scaly snake with four legs. But it wasn't only the tattoo that caught her attention. He had a slender body that had barely enough muscle to show off, a far cry from the usual buffed and beefy kind of figures expected of warriors. Scars dotted on his body, the worst being a long slash across his back. He couldn't have been the youthful man his face claimed to be with that many injuries in the past.

"Stay down, okay? I'll take care of this," he said, dropping his hand to the handle of the white sword.

"Target switch," Alice said. "Eliminate."

"I believe I didn't teach you to fight in that way, did I?" Klavier blocked the incoming attack with little effort.

It felt as though the standoff was nothing more than a training session. Alice struggled to keep up with Klavier's pace, but he refused to land any blows onto her even though there were plenty of opportunities to do so. That wasn't what worried Michele. The small, fresh cuts from the previous battle started to open up, making way for more blood to seep out. His stupidity would lead him down to the abyss. Michele pulled the axes out of the floor, taking a step forward when Klavier shot a glare that got her back down on her knees.

_Don't interfere._ Those were the words conveyed through his unspoken language.

"You're holding back," Klavier said.

"No, I'm not!" Alice said.

"Then why is it that I sense hesitation from your blade?"

"That's…"

"Never mind."

Klavier sheathed his sword, his hand near the handle of the blade. Alice slid her foot forward, cold sweat running down her cheek. The air around them stilled, almost as though it read the intensity of their concentration. Before long, Alice took off, swinging her heavy scythe towards Klavier with all her might. Yet as the danger drew close, he simply stood there, appearing indifferent at the situation before him.

Two lights, one black-purple and the other white collided with one another before a sound of a blunt metal bumping into flesh filled Michele's ear. A silhouette overshadowed the moonlight, along with shards of metal that rained down from the heavens. Michele looked up, staring at an Alice that was launched high in the air, her body marked with a large, angry abrasion across. She and the scythe came crashing down without any form of resistance, crumpling up on the floor, screaming at the top of her lungs.

His body leaned forward at an angle that didn't fit the normal walking position. As if Michele knew what to do the whole time, she wrapped her arms around him, holding against the overwhelming force that threatened to break her balance.

"You're pretty heavy for your kind of size," Michele commented. "Anyway, what happened to you? Why're you so beat up?"

"My bad," he returned a weak smile. "I just overdid it."

"Idiot. You'd better stay alive so I can whoop your ass for not taking care of yourself. Come on, let's get out of here already."

"No, don't go," Michele's ears pricked at the sound of soft sobs in between those words. She looked down, staring back at a tearful Alice who held onto her leg in a desperate move to stop them.

"Grr, get off me!" she shook her leg, forcing her to let go.

"Please don't…!" Alice's sobs got louder.

"Michele, hold on a second," Klavier let go of her support.

He wasn't about to comfort that kid, was he? She reached out for his shoulder. But she was too late - he wrapped his arms around the devastated child as though Alice was his own. The image of compassion burned in Michele's mind. It was absurd; No sane man would dare expose his vulnerabilities even to a crying youngster in this field of death. So, how was it that he could still do it?

"Sorry about that," Klavier said. "I'll find Vanros Klavier and then return. Till then, wait for me. Michele, let's go."


	14. Ch 9 - Ruthless

That sneaky Shida wasn't about to get away for getting them into a messy situation. Themis stood before him, folding her arms as she looked at him in the eye. She knew she wasn't the most intimidating person to deal with a menacing magician like him, but with the other two busy in their own battles, it was up to her to stop him from mobilizing even more fighters to incapacitate them. She fired a pink bolt at him, chipping off a small part of his armor as he swerved to the side in an attempt to evade it.

"Looks like I've underestimated this tiny creature alright," Shida wiped off the burning debris on his shoulder.

"Call me that again and I'll make sure you'll never see the sun rise again," her eyebrows arched to form a "V" shape.

"I love your confidence, you know that?"

Themis focused all her energy onto her wand, unleashing the largest shot that she could conjure at him. It didn't come with a recoil strong enough to slam her on the nearest wall though. If it was that powerful, Shida probably wouldn't stand a chance, that was, if he got hit by it. Perhaps now was the time to believe in lady luck…

He raised his staff in full anticipation, intercepting the projectile with little difficulty. It didn't stop there - he threw the spell right back at her, reinforced with an overwhelming presence of dark power in it. Themis dived away from the evil magic as it crashed right on the hovel behind her, bringing up into flames.

"You were correct to dodge that thing, tiny creature," Shida said, resting his staff on his shoulder. "Warm up is over. Time to get serious."

Shida swung his staff across, sending a wave of black fire blazing towards Themis. She jumped away, ignoring the flames that blazed on her shoulder as she tumbled across the floor like a smooth metal ball. Themis bounced to Shida side, wrapping her arms around his waist, pointing her wand at his face.

"See if you can dodge this, old man," the tip of her jewel wand lit up, blowing up the projectile before she could even think of escaping. She crawled out of the dust cloud, cursing her itchy trigger finger for releasing the shot too early.

"Is that all you can do?" he heard his voice from her back. She turned around, staring at a demon incarnate whose hands became wicked claws similar to Luther's. Instinct told her to run but with her body a bashed up by her own blast, she couldn't see herself successfully evading the attack. She took it hard, enduring the five talons that ripped through her back. Blood rushed out of the fresh wounds, staining her dress to create a deep red patch. She should at least try to stop the bleeding since there wouldn't be much time before the loss became too great for her body to bear.

She pounced onto his head, pulling his hair with all her might before smashing her wand flat on his forehead. The damage ought to keep him down for a while. But no, he stood right back up, denying her the time she needed to heal herself of the grievous injuries.

The environment around Themis with nothing but dark matter. The tips of his lips lifted as he swung his staff down as he shouted the words "Soul Prison". She wasn't about to repeat the same mistake. She mumbled a spell under her breath, picturing a location away from the perimeter of Shida's incoming attack. A small pink magic circle formed around her but before it could be completed, a purplish circle of a different design formed on top of it. It overloaded her spell with foreign magical particles, destabilizing it before it blew up on her.

She fell to her knees, having been drained of all the remaining power left of her. It was of little comfort that she was risking her life for Klavier's escape, only to be stopped by a mad magician whose magic pool knew no bounds. Her death would probably help him in his survival.

"Bellow, Sirkius!" a familiar voice shouted so loud that it drowned the noise of the impending doom dashing towards her. A flash of red zipped past her, so close that a few strands of her hair fell to the ground, blazing through the air before crashing into Shida's magic, rendering the preparations behind it useless.

"Oh, if it isn't Klavier," Shida said.

"Get away from Themis," he pointed his broken black sword at him.

"And what? Fight me in that kind of condition?"

"Does it matter? I'll cut you down no matter how badly injured I am," he drew out his white sword.

"No," Themis raised her hand across. "I'll handle this."

"But you're…"

"You've done enough brawling for the day. Look at you," she glanced at the countless cuts on his body. "Giving me more work than I already have."

"Okay, if you say so," Klavier sheathed his swords.

"Hey you!" Themis threw a pebble that landed square on Shida's nose. "Your opponent is me!"

"Some courage you've got there, tiny," he wiped the blood off his crooked nose.

"I told you not to call me tiny, didn't I?" she dashed around him so fast that he didn't have time to react. "I've been watching how Klavier fights for a while already, so I learnt one or two tricks from him," she raised her wand high in the air, smashing it down onto Shida's head with all her might. Shida stood his ground but having received a hard hit, he didn't seem to be able to recover from the impact quickly, allowing Themis to land a chain of bashes to the head until he collapsed.

Shida forced himself up, holding onto her wrist as tightly as he could so that she couldn't escape. He raised his staff against her, chanting under his breath as a maelstrom of dark magic pooled around the tip. But the casting took too long - Themis grabbed him by the head once more, head-butting him with all her strength. Shida toppled over, clutching onto his forehead before lying down on the ground with his limbs spread wide open.

"Damn! I'm not done yet!" Shida thrust his staff into her abdomen. The sounds around started to muffle to the point that only her heartbeat could be heard. She could have sworn she heard both Michele and Klavier shout her name. But with the world around her starting to spin, she couldn't be sure if that was the case.

Any normal person would have passed out by now, having endured such attacks. No, she wasn't about to let it take her away. Klavier and Michele would be goners without her. She mustered all the remaining energy left in her, pulling the staff out of her body for blood to pour out of the hole created in its aftermath.

She swung her wand across, picturing the same way how Klavier would slash across to reach out to his opponent when he attempted to dodge. It landed Shida's head with so much force that he collapsed once more. This time, mercy was not in her dictionary.

"Never! Ever! Call! Me! Tiny! Again!" she smashed his head continuously, timing her strikes with every word she shouted.

She bashed his head so much that it looked a bit disfigured. But that was a good thing since she could be sure that he would not interrupt her in her healing. She hovered her hand on the stab wound, squeezing out the last bit of energy she had to close it up. But her all wasn't enough, closing it halfway when the magic failed on her.

"Michele! The medicine!" she heard Klavier's voice just before the abyss embraced her whole.

"This is bad," Klavier said, examining the wounds on Themis's body. "Michele, use the towel to stem the blood flow on her back. I'll deal with the one on her front."

Themis may have survived the battle against Shida, but the chances of survival was slim with the immense amount of blood lost from that duel. She wasn't one to fight in a battlefield to start with anyway. Yet he couldn't disapprove the spirit she put in to defeat an enemy that was way out of her league.

There was one thing that he couldn't shake off. How was it that Themis understood some of his techniques just by watching him? She didn't execute it as perfectly as she ought to, but it was good enough to give Shida the beating he deserved.

"Hey Klavier, quit spacing out," Michele's voice threw him back into reality. "She's still bleeding, you know."

"I know," he spread pressed a little harder on the pressure points near her wound. "I couldn't help but to think that she somehow managed to imitate some of my techniques, that's all."

"It's easy to copy. It's just… I don't know. Maybe it's a bit difficult to wield?"

"That's the point. No amateur fighter can handle its pressure without first building the physical resilience."

"I see you guys are having fun," a husky voice said. They turned around, looking at an orange-haired man with an eyepatch on his right eye peeking out of the entrance of a violet-colored giant house.

"Y-You!" Michele pointed at him.

"Look little miss. I've got a name and that is Luther."

"What are you doing here?"

"Not here to dance with you, that's for sure. Anyway, get in already. I still need to hold back the army you know."

"Thanks, we owe you one," Klavier and Michele supported Themis up.

"Zellha will hitch you a ride out of this damned place. Till then, take care."

"What about Will, Aem and Amy?" Klavier asked.

"Them? They've already escaped. Meet up with them in the plains after you're out of this place. Oh," Luther passed two emblems, one which was purple-black that bore the symbol of a dual scythe and the other silver which had the symbol of a great sword and its hilt decorated with angel's wings to Klavier. "I think you'll find this useful."

"Thanks," Klavier entered the tank.

"Well, took you long enough," Zellha greeted him with a toothy smile, sending chills down his spine. "Let's go."

They took off, moving so fast that those in their way had no time to run away, getting themselves flattened or launched like a catapult rock aimed at the heavens.

"Michele," Zellha said. "Man the cannon. We're blasting a hole on it."

"Who are you to order me eh?"

"Please listen to her," Klavier said. "I'll take care of Themis in the meantime."

"Fine," she jumped onto the seat by Zellha's side, maneuvering the joystick as she aimed at the wall in front of them. "Um, how do I shoot?"

"Pull the trigger."

"You mean this?" she squeezed the trigger sitting underneath her fingers, unleashing a powerful projectile at the wall that came crumbling down.

"Nice shot. Now make it bigger so we can ram our way through."

"Never thought we actually have that kind of technology," Michele commented, firing away all the shots the tank could offer.

Now was the time to use it since Michele wasn't watching. Klavier mumbled a spell under his breath, swinging his left hand across Themis's body. Lime green particles filled the air around her, sinking into her skin slowly. The blood that once was running out of the wounds like a fountain started to thicken into a thin clot. He dropped to his knees, overwhelmed by relief that the healing spell worked without any hiccups.

"Oh," Michele said. "I saw what you did there."

"Heh?" his cheek muscles twitched.

"Come on, spill the beans already. You're not an ordinary knight as you claim to be."

"You sure you want to know the truth?"

"I'm waiting for it."

"I'm a…" he glanced at Zellha. "A magician. Yeah."

"That doesn't sound very convincing."

"Have you heard of the term 'magic swordsman'?"

"Not really."

"I'm one of them. A magic swordsman knows all kinds of magic, including healing. But healing isn't our forte since the profession is more tuned to combat. I would still rely on medicine for that reason."

"At least she's off the danger zone now."


	15. Ch 10 - Metal Cat

Themis's ears pricked at the strong, bassist sounds that exploded into a series of medium-high pitched notes that sounded almost as if it was supposed to be covered by a young lady's voice. That Klavier was at it again, playing the piano when he was badly injured. She opened her eyes, willed herself to move only to remain paralyzed on the spot, staring at an olive green canvas that was held up by metal poles. There wasn't the burning wood smell common in Bariura Empire's air. It smelled so fresh that it gave her goosebumps. She strained her neck, staring down at her body that was bandaged everywhere except on the limbs. Wait. There wasn't any doctor in their group, was there?

"Vital signs at optimal state," a voice murmured. "Patient is now in conscious state."

Themis turned to the side where she heard the voice, gazing at a woman of similar size to Michele's. Apart from the straight face she pulled with almost no effort, the clothing had no signs of creases. It had to be metal, the kind that was so flexible that there was no need for leather which was commonly found in Will and Aem's armor sets.

"Who is she?" Themis asked.

"Meet Lilith," Michele said, putting down massive log by her side, her whole body covered in sweat as though she just completed a running marathon. "She's the one who took care of you when Klavier couldn't do it."

"Klavier's the one who took care of me?"

"Yeah. Klavier said that you almost died from excessive bleeding. He somehow managed to pull through using an ancient healing spell, but it wasn't enough to completely cover the wounds. So he got this lady to do the job since she knows better."

"Pleased to meet you," Lilith said with a semi-monotonous tone. "Patient's condition is now stable. Beginning final medical checkup phase."

Lilith pulled a small, white rectangle-like item that had a smooth silver tip from her underarm, pointing the tip at Themis's face before shoving it into her mouth. She stared at the block numbers in the middle of the object rise up in a steady pace. After what felt like a minute had passed, the meter stopped moving up, giving out a loud beep sound.

"Body temperature at thirty-seven degrees Celsius. No fever indicated. Patient at healthy state," Lilith pulled the thing out of Themis's mouth. "Initiating final check on vital signs."

Lilith moved in so close that their noses was just an inch away from touching. Themis's face reddened as she arched backwards, bumping her head against the bed frame.

"Please do not move," Lilith touched Themis's chin. "Eyes in perfect condition," she snapped her fingers at Themis's ear. "Ears in perfect condition."

"Whoa. You didn't need to go _that_ far…"

"Speech in perfect condition."

"Okay, she's crazy. Get off me! You're creeping me out!" Themis shoved her aside.

"Final check on vital signs currently incomplete," Lilith insisted on her close contact. "Please do not move."

"Waaah!"

"Stop the useless struggle," Michele said. "She can't do her work if you keep fidgeting."

"F-Fine," Themis swallowed hard, staring right back at Lilith on the eye, ignoring soft giggles that drilled into her ear.

"Check on vital signs complete," Lilith withdrew. "No anomalies detected, patient is now healthy but recommended to rest for full recovery."

"Quite a mouthful there," Themis pushed Lilith's head away.

"Hey Klavier," Michele beckoned him over. "She's alright now."

"Wait," Themis looked at Klavier suspiciously. "Where did he get the grand piano from?"

"Um, it's originally a tank," Michele scratched her head. "Klavier discovered it is capable of transforming into almost anything he wants it to be so long as he call its name."

"That is?"

"Duel-GX," the mentioning of its name caused the piano to reform the machine into a crab-like creature.

"Hey!" Klavier shouted. "I was at the middle of the song!"

"Heh, save it for later. For you information, Themis is awake already."

"Oh!" Klavier bounced to her side, staring at Themis at various angles as though she was his art model.

"Get off me," she stomped on his face. "You're seriously creeping me out."

"My bad," he stepped back. "I couldn't help myself."

"Who do you think I am, huh? I'm tougher than I look."

"Brave words from a kid like you," he ruffled her hair. "Well, we're glad that you're back in the team. Will was especially worried since you were out for nearly a month."

"A month. What? A month?"

"Yeah. That really worried Will to no end. At least now he can be assured."

"Where is he?"

"He's surveying the safest path for us to walk on later. Aem, on the other hand, has gone ahead to alert Sama kingdom of our incoming presence."

"Why would he do that?"

"We need to get supplies as soon as we can. He's helping us negotiate the terms so we can get what we need for the journey. As of now, whatever we have will last for one more day and that includes the medicine you need."

"I'll be fine with some magic," she puffed her cheeks.

"Sure. But can you cast it now?"

"I can try," she raised her hand over to her back. She closed her eyes, focusing all the concentration she could give to her fingertips. It normally would take just a few seconds to feel the tingling sensation, but she wasn't experiencing it.

"Warning!" Lilith elbowed Klavier aside, readjusting her arm back to her front. "Patient's magical integrity reaching critical level!"

"What?"

"In other words," Klavier said, rubbing his swollen cheek. "Shida busted the magic flow in your body with that stab, preventing any form of magic from being cast. Lilith said that you'll need roughly a month to fully recover your magical power so in the meantime, do take a good rest."

"Oh. Okay…"

The smile looked utterly ridiculous on him, almost as though she was looking at a five year old child with that innocent grin after messing the place up with crayon marks. For a moment, her mind flashed a memory where she saw a kid of exactly the same expression before her consciousness knocked her on the head.

"Aw," Michele poked her cheek. "Did I just see someone get mushy all of a sudden?"

"Wh-Who is?" Themis asked.

"I'm looking at _her_," Michele shot a teasing stare to Themis.

"Michele," Klavier tapped on her shoulder. "Don't agitate her. Anyway, we'll be moving out once Will returns. Till then, take it easy."

"Okay, doc," Themis said.

The absence of light was something that stirred fear in him. It was most uncertain whether there would be monsters or bandits that would attack their nearly defenseless camp with Will and Aem currently dispatched to do their tasks. Klavier lit up a candle, illuminating the place that would otherwise be pitch black. He laid out the written plans on the table, giving it another revision before they set out the next day.

"Klavier," the voice prompted him to stop what he was doing. "You should take a rest you know. It's not healthy that you do all the work on your own."

"Amy," he turned around. "Thanks for the thoughts."

"I haven't really had the chance to say it earlier," she sat beside him.

"Say what?"

"Thanks for defending me the other day. I would've been a goner if not for you."

"You mean the fight against Luther?"

"Yeah. I've never seen a knight fight the same way you do. It's so fluid that it felt as though you're doing some dance moves instead of actually fighting."

"Dance moves… I'm no dancer," he pictured an awkward impression of himself waltzing with a random lady.

"Him? Dance?" Michele's voice thundered behind them before she burst into laughter. "He'd look stupid!"

Michele was no longer in the dress that was blown up back in Bariura Empire. It was replaced with a bareback gladiator armor with a dark chocolate skirt fitted with white frills on its ends. The recent days spent in the open with makeshift equipment meant that their things were vulnerable to theft. To counter that, Michele put on that outfit which amplified the intimidation from her already scary stare to repel thieves targeting their site.

"Thanks for the compliment," Klavier said.

"That's not a compliment, dimwit," she said. "I'm insulting you."

"Is it? Never thought that you'd throw that with a poor sense of humor," Klavier's rebuttal provoked Amy to laugh.

"Say that again and I'll wreck you," she rubbed his forehead so hard that it started to burn.

"You two look very much like best friends," Amy chuckled. "Arguing over something trivial like that."

"Shut your trap," Michele placed her finger over Amy's lips. "There's nothing going on between us."

"Pfft! Between us," Amy echoed.

"Shuddap!" Michele pulled her cheeks.

"Okay! Got to do my work now."

"Amy, keep your eyes peeled for Will's return while you're at it," Klavier said.

"Sure," she returned a thumbs up as she moved to her post.

Klavier returned to the planning table, looking through the countless notes written all over the hand-drawn map. They appeared like a poor piece of artwork at first glance with countless messy scribbles made throughout the days where he watched Will, Aem and Amy bickered over the routes they should use. Since Will was already scouting for the safest route, all they had to worry about was to get the supplies for their journey back to La Veda. He sat down on a wooden stump, flipping through a thick book that was nothing but music scores of hundreds of songs.

"Not sleeping yet?" Michele asked, sitting by his side.

"Um, no. I'd better prepare a small playlist so that I can do street performance once we get to Sama kingdom."

"What are you, a performing monkey?"

"I guess so."

"You know it was a joke."

"Of course."

"Whatever. There's got to be a better way to raise that money…"

"Do you have any ideas to throw?" Michele asked.

"Hmm… maybe if we sell our services as mercenaries, we should get a dime quickly."

"You mean do business that clients don't want their hands to get dirty over?"

"Yeah."

"I don't think that's going to be the most time efficient work. Our aim is to get to La Veda as soon as we can, you know."

"We can try selling the weapons I managed to save during our escape," she pointed at a stash of a variety of weapons near her backpack.

"That wouldn't come without a hefty price tag, would it?"

"Um, hello. These are exotic weapons. They are priced well over five gems with the exception of your sword."

"Oh, okay."

"Speaking of which, I noticed that your sword didn't cut Alice. Can I take a look at it?"

"Um, sure," he popped the sword out of its scabbard, watching Michele pull it out so close to his face that he could feel the air near his nose get cut by it.

"Strange," she slid her finger across the cutting edge. "It wasn't this dull when I received it."

"Careful of the back blade…"

The warning came too late. Michele had already made a shallow cut across her arm that ripped a part of the leather into two, exposing the skin underneath.

"Oh, I see. It's a reverse blade," she swung it over his head, slicing a few strands of his hair. "But swing it hard enough and it'll cut."

"Michele, you don't have to use me as a training dummy."

"Anyway, legend says that this sword is nicknamed as the Keeper of Orders, maintaining peace through talks rather than violence. The pacifistic nature of Leorone created this blade, where only the enlightened can wield it."

"What if someone wicked picks it up?"

"It'll burn him to crisp."

"It's scary that you say it with such indifference…"

"You'd better take care of it. Leorone's wrath is worse than any living creature here on Grand Gaia if you piss him off."

"I'll take note of that," he sheathed the sword.

Who knew that the sword he carried contained a spirit with such potency? It was no wonder he felt that strange tingle on his fingertips when Michele first gave it to him, almost as if it was trying to communicate with him but had no other means to do so. This could not have been coincidence for him to wield it with relative ease. There had to be a way to lure the spirit out but with the rest of the group nearby, he couldn't be too sure whether he should do it or not. He wouldn't want to scare them with that ability to summon the past heroes now, would he?

It was bad news. Sama kingdom wasn't what it used to be, at least that was what Aem saw with his own eyes. Plumes of smoke filled the air within its aquatic walls, plagued with occasional sparks of lightning that escaped into the atmosphere. Thunder rolled across the sky, threatening to strike down its fury to those that came close.

As if he knew what to do all along, he begun a search near the kingdom for survivors. With hours spent on walking endlessly in the plains, he eventually found himself standing before a makeshift camp similar to the one that he erected along with Will and Klavier to give Themis a decent place to rest. In it were civilians of all ages and professions, assisted by only a handful of soldiers that appeared healthy enough to do light logistical duties. Others were not so lucky, forced to be bedridden as a result of sustaining grave injuries.

"Who goes there?" a pike man wearing predominantly blue armor pointed his weapon at Aem.

"Whoa," he raised his hands. "I'm Knight Aem from La Veda and I come in peace. May I seek audience to the king?"

"The king is not present at the moment."

"Then who can I talk to? Please, I need to know what's going on so that La Veda can send in reinforcements."

"Very well, follow me," the pike man turned his back on him, escorting him into the camp to the furthest side. He pulled up the olive green canvas, entering the room. "Your majesty, a La Veda representative seeks audience with you."

"Very well. Please let him in," a medium-low pitched voice said. Aem stepped in, bowing to the people inside. In front of him was an adventurer-like clothed person with a sword that had intricate designs made of gold stashed on his back.

"Prince Arius," Aem gave a formal bow to him. "Pleased to meet you once more."

"Knight Aem, what news do you bear?"

"We heard of what happened to Sama kingdom," Aem ignored the darkness swirling in Arius's eyes. "We understand that you intend to retake it with whatever is left of your army and thus, we would like to offer our assistance."

"How many men can you spare?"

"Five, my lord."

"_F-Five?!_ Four against the god's army?"

"I understand your point of view, my lord. We are relatively tight on giving assistance right now since the god's army plagues countless nations. We would like to seek your understanding that this is all we could offer at the moment."

"Who are these people you speak of?"

"Knight Will, Knight Amy, Red Axe Michele, Vanros Klavier and myself."

"That's all?"

"Yes sir."

"I would rather save those people the pain. Seriously, what is the king of La Veda thinking?"

"My humble apologies for wasting your time," he gave a gentle bow. "I shall take my leave and inform the king of your decision."

"Wait!" a female voice shot across the room. Aem looked to the side, another knight clad in a dust-colored cloak emerged from the shadows.

"Lucina, didn't I tell you to stay away when I'm meeting outsiders?" Arius asked.

"I'm so sorry, your majesty," she clapped her hands together. "I couldn't help myself when I heard that knight mention his name."

"Are you referring to Knight Will, ma'am?" Aem asked.

"No," she shook her head. "Vanros Klavier."

"What about him?" Arius asked.

"Vanros Klavier is by far the best fighter we have in our disposal," Aem said. "He is renowned for defeating two fallen gods of the highest caliber single-handedly. I'm sure that his skill will be put to good use under leadership."

"I'm not so sure whether to believe that," Arius's eyebrows crumpled towards the center.

"Sire," Lucina said. "He is one not to mess with. It's said that even the gods tremble at his very presence."

"Fine," Arius heaved a sigh. "Knight Aem, please let the king know of my acceptance. We would like your men to report to this camp as soon as you can. Please be fast, we do not know when the enemy will attack."

"Sir," Aem bowed and took his leave.

Guilt sunk in his head. The whole group was already weary from their struggle in Bariura Empire and he was practically throwing them into another battle they could have avoided. He broke into a sprint, running as far as his legs could carry him back to the camp the group was in. They had better be prepared for this grim news he was about to break to them.


	16. Ch 11 - The Madman Speaks

Aem's legs could carry him no more. He ran so fast and far that even the position of the sun couldn't tell him how long he was at it. Alas, after the extreme marathon that threatened to blow his legs up from exhaustion, the familiar olive green canvas top was in sight. Klavier stood at the entrance of the tent, his arms folded as he looked ahead with immense focus. His hand dropped to the white sword stashed on the right of his waist. Aem raised his hands high in the air. Klavier seemed to get the signal; He dropped his stance, approaching him but not without a little caution.

"What happened? You look really pale," Klavier said.

"It's Sama kingdom," he said in between his panting. "The gods' army got them."

"What?"

"Sama kingdom's taken by the gods."

"What of its people?"

"They're barely surviving in a refugee camp in the outskirts of its borders. It's only a matter of time before the gods army will sniff them out and crush them. Klavier," he seized his collar. "We need to help them."

"Whoa, there, mister. Calm down," Klavier pushed his hands off gently. "I understand the desperation coming from the people but we can't just charge right in without a strategy thought out. Have you contacted their king?"

"Yes. They are expecting us later when the day is at its brightest."

"So if that's the case, they will probably agree to help us in return."

"I don't know about that. They're short on supplies themselves."

"I see."

"What's the commotion?" Michele asked.

"Morning, Michele," Klavier said. "Aem came to tell us that we're going to help Sama kingdom."

"Oh look," she scratched her mane-like hair. "Another idiot is born. Why didn't you tell us?"

"I'm sorry!" Aem said. "I couldn't just leave them alone. I know you guys are tired of fighting but…"

"So," Michele turned to Klavier. "Are we really going to do it?"

"Sure. Are you game?"

"Fine with me," she stretched, revealing the toned flesh underneath her pajamas for a brief second. "As long as we get to La Veda."

"Alright, so it's decided," Klavier nudged Amy awake.

"What's up?" she asked.

"We're going to liberate Sama kingdom, that's what. So here's the plan," Klavier led them to the planning room, disseminating all the information he thought out of the night before.

"Damn, you thought this out well," Aem said. "But how did you do this knowing you couldn't read the map properly?"

"I learnt how to under Amy's guidance," Klavier looked at him with a deep frown. "Anyway, show time guys. We've got a meeting with the king."

"Um, it's not the king… we're talking to the prince."

"All the better. Then again," he looked at his tattered white robe. "I can't present myself like this."

"Gee, you just have to ask," Michele said, tossed over a dark blue cloak that fell onto Klavier's arms.

It appeared like any other plain, long cloak adventurers would use for a long journey. But the clothing was by no means a light one; Klavier had to flex his muscles just to lift it up. He unfolded it, watching it fall all the way down to slightly below knee level.

"Perfect. Thanks," Klavier wore it over his white robe.

"Take care of it, dimwit," Michele said. "That's my father's cloak."

"You could have told me sooner…"

"Nah. I know you're strong enough to carry it around. If I wear it, it's like carrying a sandbag."

"That's an over-exaggeration, isn't it?"

"Of course."

It was like waiting for a legendary person to walk into their shabby camp. Arius sat by the entrance with the city guards, on a constant look out for the promised men that would liberate their home from their foes. But the wait was agonizingly long. He could feel the gods' army's presence coming closer as the days pass.

"Sire, I think we found them," a guard said.

Arius took the binoculars from the man, zooming in to see Will and Aem walking side by side with a strawberry-blonde haired man, clad in a rich man adventurer's blue cloak that covered his tattered white robe underneath.

"Is that who I am thinking he is?" Arius asked.

"It has to be, sir," the guard said.

"Very well. Tell the rest of the soldiers to get into position to welcome our guests."

"Right away," he blew the whistle and in a split second, the camp's people scrambled into their allocated positions.

It was like a titan approaching them - the aura that the unknown man extruded suggested fear in spite of their miniscule army size. But as mighty as they appeared to be, the group were on their knees the moment they were in front of Arius, a feat that took him by storm since most adventurers would not recognize him.

"Pardon us, my lord, for our lack of punctuality," Aem said. "We come before you with our very best and we promise that we won't disappoint."

"At ease," Arius said.

"Greetings, your majesty," the man wearing the blue cloak said. "My name is Vanros Klavier, elected leader of this group."

"I see," the mentioning of 'elected leader' struck him. "I am Arius, third prince of Sama kingdom. I've summoned you guys in hopes of getting back our home from the invaders. But as it is, we are very short in manpower and supplies. Come, let's discuss it in a place away from the civilians."

Arius led them into the largest tent of the camp. The interior of this makeshift building was by no means similar to the conventional housing the normal citizens were in. There were all sorts of maps with plans scribbled in red ink stuck on the walls, equipment laid on the table in a somewhat disorderly manner. He shoved the irrelevant things aside, worsening the already bad state of messiness of the room.

"It's been exactly seven days since the fall of Sama kingdom," Arius started, tracing his finger across a clean map on a massive table where they gathered around. "The enemy was overwhelmingly powerful, destroying eighty percent of our fighting force within the first hour of confrontation."

"Eighty?" Klavier asked, the shock resonated across the room.

"Yes. These gods were well beyond our capability to subdue, all of which wielded lightning equipment that paralyzed any form of water combat. With our trump card disabled, we could do little to defend our home."

"What of this camp?" Michele asked.

"One of our scouts received a threat by the same god's army commander that this place is next. We only have until tomorrow to prepare and if we lose, we can't guarantee the safety of our people."

"It is a dire situation alright," Klavier said. "So what's the plan?"

"Actually, we don't really have a plan. We just know that the civilians need to be evacuated but the other empires are not responding to our plea. Also, with the remaining fighting force we've got, it'll be certain defeat. We can rely on the might of Mega and Sergio, but they can only go so far."

"The admiral of the navy force and a wandering ice knight eh? So, who is the one leading the gods army?"

"Rumors had it saying that his name is Uda."

"I see. Shall we go through the plans we thought of?" Klavier glanced at Aem, prompting him to pull out a scroll. "We didn't come here unprepared. You see, we've lost enough loved ones to understand your desperate attempts to save your people. These plans are made so we can make your vision a reality."

Arius unrolled the scroll, revealing different types of response plans to different scenarios. The details put out in the various situations were so comprehensive and precise that it sent chills down his spine. This man could not be as young as his outer appearance suggested.

"What are you?" Arius heard his voice shake, lowering the scroll to see the wicked twist in Klavier's lips.

"He is otherwise known as 'The Madman'," Lucina's voice rung in their heads. She emerged from the dark corners of the room, clad in a thick, loose brown cloak.

"'The Madman'?" Arius asked.

"One that trusts his purest instincts," Lucina said.

"Hey, don't go bragging my titles without my permission. Anyway," Klavier focused on Arius again. "Sir, you need not worry about your people. There are far more of us. It's just that these people prefer not to show their faces until they have to take care of some filthy business. That said, you should advise your men not to get near them because they are prone to indiscriminate killing."

"Who are these you speak of?"

"They would like to keep their identities a secret."

"How will we know who not to cross with then?"

"The people you here are the ones your men can interact with safely. Anybody else apart from these guys here will face hell."

Klavier sat alone in the secluded corner of the camp, watching the camp's activity buzz down to a stop as darkness shrouded the land. He didn't mean to scare Arius from the meeting earlier, but it was necessary if he were to ensure that his soldiers would survive to see the next day.

He pulled out two circle emblems, one that had the symbol of fire and other a symbol of ethereal swords revolving around the center from his pocket, joining his hands together as he chanted a spell under his breath. As if materializing out of thin air, two people, the first, an orange-haired man wearing a largely black armor stepped out of the magic circle. The second, a woman sporting a genuinely blonde hair with two bull horns pointed to the sky, sticking out just above her temples and a tiny princess-like crown tilted at an angle that rested on her head.

"Another job?" Luther asked, digging his ear along with a loud yawn.

"Looks like it," Zellha said.

"I believe you heard me talk with Arius earlier this afternoon," Klavier said.

"Nope, I was sleeping," Luther said.

"I was bathing," Zellha winked.

"Never mind," Klavier summed up the meeting into a one minute speech.

"Uda huh?" Luther scratched his chin. "That guy's one of the imprisoned gods for doing a grave crime. Well, count me in! I'll be sure to wreck him with all I've got."

"You're not going to have all the fun, boy," Zellha licked her lips. "Because I've got a score to settle with him too."

"In any case, you guys will be compensated appropriately. One word of caution though, do not hurt Arius's men when you can."

"Not without some gems," Zellha said.

"Okay," Klavier said slowly. "How about two gems if you put in effort to keep Arius's men away from friendly fire?"

"Seriously?" her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.

"Yeah."

"We got a deal," she shook hands with him, but it was so tight that her claws sunk into his flesh.

"Dude," Luther pulled her hand out. "You trying to kill master?"

"I trust that you guys know what to do," Klavier said.

"For more destruction, yes. Come on, Zellha, got to prepare those weapons," Luther pulled her away, blending into the darkness until he saw them no more.

"So those were the people you were talking about," a voice said, busting all the alarms in his body. He turned around, staring back at the blue cotton-candy-like hair.

"Oh, it's you," Klavier heaved a sigh.

"Why so uptight?" Lucina sat by his side. "Don't they know about your summoning abilities?"

"No. I'd prefer to keep it that way though. Letting them know that I'm one will definitely change their opinion of me."

"I see. You haven't changed much even after fifteen years have passed," she looked up at the twinkling night sky. "So I assume they think you're as young as you look?"

"I suppose," he scratched his head uncomfortably.

"Klavier! I know you're over there!" Themis's voice rung from the camp's direction. "We got some beef… stew," her jaws hung open as she stared on, fury raging in her eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Having a talk with an old friend," he replied. "Want to join us?"

"Oh, okay," Themis looked at Lucina suspiciously. "So what were you guys talking about?"

"About how old he actually is," Lucina's response knocked Klavier over.

"No, do not tell her…"

"Tell me what?" Themis tilted her head to the side.

"He is turning forty-four this year," Lucina said with a smile.

"Heh. So young. Wait. Did you just say forty-four?"

"Yup."

Themis pulled his cheeks. "He doesn't look anywhere like that!"

"Get off me!" Klavier said, nudging her off.

"But seriously. How is it that you're that old and yet look young? Wait. Don't tell me you're a vampire…"

"How in the world did you derive to that conclusion?" he heard Lucina burst into laughter behind him.


	17. Ch 12 - Churning Earth

Their presence could be felt even though they were nowhere to be found. Everyone was on edge for the incoming attack of the mighty gods except for one person. He appeared the least concerned of the lot, playing various medleys on Duel-GX accompanied with Lilith's flawless violin skills. It was expected of her anyway since a cyborg would be programmed to be nothing but perfect. Whatever he was doing didn't backfired though - Arius's men appeared to be revitalized by the music with so much intensity that they appeared to be rising above the heavy dread.

"Everyone's fighting a war and there you are fooling away with the piano!" Themis pulled him away by the ear. "Do you not understand the situation?!"

"Of course I do," Klavier pulled a cheeky smile. "But what good will it be if everyone thinks negatively?"

"Idiot. You're just going to make them panic when they arrive."

"So this is what you do when you're not fighting," Arius said, now wearing a full set of metal protective gear. "It certainly fits you, Vanros."

"Please call me by Klavier," he said.

"You have my thanks. My men weren't at the best of their game when the gods invaded. But now, they look so much better."

"Sire, please tell them that they'd better survive if they want to hear more of our music. What they heard is not the best we've got," his words drew glares from his team.

"Very well. We have a deal," Arius turned around, walking towards the army that gathered outside of the refugee camp.

"Did you really have to say that?" Themis asked. "You know we can't play music as well as you do."

"You can always learn," he replied. "Anyway, you guys already know about the battle plan, right?"

"Um, yeah," Michele said. "Can we go through it one more time?"

"Alright," he beckoned the group over and once they gathered, he begun. "We're up against an enemy that wields lightning. So, make sure you all have some form of lightning nullifier in your possession. However, take note that not all may use lightning, so adjust your battle strategies accordingly."

"Will, Aem and Amy, you'll take the defensive posts. Make sure the civilians are evacuated fast enough to keep them away from the crossfire. Themis, your white magic isn't working at the moment, so you'll join Will and assist him."

"Roger!" she grinned from ear to ear at the cost of Aem's smile.

"Lilith and Duel-GX will support both Michele and I. We will be together with Arius and his men in the frontlines. If you see us struggling, do help out but only if you've done what you're supposed to do. Is there anything else?"

"Um," Michele said. "I found this thing in Shida's lab the other day."

She pulled out a piece of wrapped cloth from her pocket, unfolding it to reveal a broken black blade. He seized it at once, joining it together with the black sword he carried.

"Nice. Sirkius can fight at his full strength now," he said.

He swung the black sword across just before the loose edge could hit the floor, unleashing a wave of ice that traced the tip of the blade onto the ground, slicing it open with a violent jolt. Klavier lifted the sword up, staring at the now complete weapon, absent of any forms of flaws.

"What the heck did you just do?" Michele asked.

"Reformed Sirkius using the 'Niflheimr' technique," he said, the stunt rousing applause from those that witnessed it.

"What?"

"Ice magic."

"Is there something you can't do?"

"I don't know. Woo-ing you?"

"You're not hooking me up, idiot," she punched his forehead, rubbing her knuckles hard enough for him to stagger back.

"I was just kidding, okay? Besides, I wouldn't want to be unfaithful to my wife back home."

"Your wife? The heck are you spouting?"

"So not only is he already forty-four," Themis's voice traced from the back. "He's also married. Wow."

"Themis, don't tell me this dimwit is older than he looks," Michele said.

"He is. How else would he get so many battle scars?"

"You saw them too, huh?" her mind flashed the instance where she saw his bare body full of the marks along with the dragon tattoo on the back.

"In any case," Klavier said. "Time to move out. The enemy will not wait for us. Will, take charge of the evacuation."

"Got it," he tapped on Aem's and Amy's shoulders before they dashed out of sight. Themis's face drained of all color.

"Waaah! Wait for me!" Themis trotted behind, running at a speed that made her look like a slowpoke compared to them.

"Proceeding with master's order," Lilith said, stowing away her violin in Duel-GX. "Will return when requested."

She jumped onto Duel-GX's head, riding it towards another location away from Arius, leaving both Michele and Klavier as the remaining people on the post.

"So, what do we do now?" Michele placed her hands at the back of her head.

"Get ready, of course," he stashed both the black and white swords at the right of his waist.

"Why bring both when you can only use one?"

"In case I want to capture and torture somebody from the enemy's side, I'll use Leorone," he returned an eerie smile. "But I would normally use Sirkius to get the small fries out of the way."

Michele didn't know whether to be scared or to be relieved. Klavier didn't come off as a cold blood killer, at least from what she saw throughout their journey. With an enemy that strived to erase their existence from Grand Gaia, her fingers tingled with excitement thinking about witnessing the other side of the coin.

"Sire!" one of Arius's men shouted. "They're here! The ones who killed our brothers!"

A small army, half the size of Arius's marched in from beyond the horizon. But the men weren't the least encouraged by the tiny turnout. In fact, they appeared shaken by their very presence. Even Michele wasn't spared from the daunting chill. She glanced at Klavier, hoping to look for some support, but he, too, appeared petrified.

"What are we going to do?" Michele asked.

"Don't falter, men!" Arius shouted, drawing his sword. "We can do this."

"But sir, what can we possibly do with our current force against the elite enemy?" one of his men asked.

"Actually, it's okay to be afraid," Klavier said.

"Are you trying to encourage the enemy to win?" Arius asked.

"No," a smirk surfaced on Klavier's face. "What matters is whether you become the master of the fear, or you become the slave. So, which one is it?"

"That's…" Even that got Arius to think about it. They looked at each other, doubt evident in their faces. Klavier sounded scary talking about deep topics like these, a far cry from his usual cheery self she would see outside of battle.

"We can do this, sir," one of the men said, his body covered with ice except on the face. "We won't let it stop us like the last time."

"Sergio," Arius said. "You heard him, guys. Let's show them whose boss!"

"So you're not as wimpy as you appear to be after all," Klavier said, holding onto the handle of the black sword. "Well, get into your formations. They'll be upon us in a matter of seconds."

On the frontline of the gods army was a god wearing predominantly golden armor that had the consistent designs of a golden dragon in it. A red cape flew behind him as he ran forward, leading the charge with his electric double edged sword fully drawn out. He swung it across, zapping the earth with deadly lightning rattled Arius and his men out of their formation. As if that was not bad enough, the men behind the initiator entered into a series of blade spinning, slicing the unlucky ones into ribbons.

"Fall back! Fall back!" Arius shouted as the soldiers fell faster than they could retaliate.

"Activate plan B," Klavier said, stabbing his opponent through the neck with the black blade.

"Plan B?" Michele asked.

"Get Arius and his men away from this place," he said, summoning a small ball of energy that massed up on the hilt. A blueish aura danced over Klavier's brow, oozing out of the tight ball of energy. It was so powerful that the ground around him shattered into fine dust. She opened her mouth, about to shout the order when Klavier slammed his sword down to the ground, sending pillars of sharp earth from the ground up, breaking the formation that Arius desperately kept in control. Despite the strength of the spell casted, the gods appeared to have anticipated the attack, diving away from the focal area. They swung their swords at Klavier from his blind spot only for a beam of red light to blaze from his side that vaporized those that were within the range.

"Sirkius got mad at me for not reciting the order," Klavier mumbled, popping the white sword out of its scabbard, smashing the butt of the sword at one of the unwary attackers on the chin that sent him flying.

"What was that?" Arius asked.

"Dragon Fury Style, Churning Earth. Signature magic move of Sirkius."

"Idiot, you guys still have the time to talk when your lives are on the line," Michele said, watching a blade come down at her. But her reflex was faster. She blocked it with her axes, head-butting the attacker before thrusting the weapon onto his torso.

"That's master for you," an orange-haired man wearing an eyepatch on his right eye said, swinging his multiple swords at a speed beyond comprehension that shredded his opponent. "You'd best mind your own business, pipsqueak."

"L-Luther?! Since when did you side us?"

"I'm not siding with you, numbskull. I'm only here to have a ride of my life. Now," Luther flexed his black claws. "You guys seriously better get out of the way. Because this show is only going to get hotter from here."

Klavier pointed to the back using his thumb. Without a second to lose, Arius got his men to withdraw as the boiling Luther provoked the attention of the remaining gods. Before their adversaries could react, Luther blew himself up, along with the nearby attackers, leaving nothing but black ash in its aftermath.

The blow that Luther did to the enemy turned the tables around. Arius and his men, who were formerly on the defensive, were now pushing the shaken gods' army back. But it wasn't like they could be destroyed anytime soon. Their opponents regrouped into a tight cluster, fighting against them with enough endurance to bring it back to a stalemate.

Now was the time to strike. Michele dashed forward, swinging her axes wildly, creating a ring of fire around her allies that endowed their weapons with a flame that didn't burn their hands. That granted Arius's men the much needed boost - so not only did they hurt with their chilly strikes, it also burned with her magical fire. Her enhancement seemed to be working - the enemy's formation was beginning to break apart to the relief of Arius and his men. The end was in sight, they could finally finish this and return home.

But it was only the start of the nightmare. The same god that started the attack thundered down on them, burning even more of Arius's men to crisp. He swung his sword across, lightning tracing the tip of his blade as it electrocuted those that were near him. Even Michele wasn't spared from it, the torment of the strike pooled at her side to the point that standing was difficult.

With Arius and what was left of his army at the mercy of the gods' army's commander, he pummeled it down once more, no doubt displaying the superiority that he commanded in the final attack. But before it could hit them, a thin line of black intercepted it, the two metals clanging so loud that the sound reverberated across the land.

"Looks like I was on time," Klavier said, a smile breaking on his face as the victims whimpered away.

"Hmph, to see Lord Dragon in the flesh," the god said. "You sure are a meddlesome one."

"Right back at you, Crusher God Uda," Klavier broke the clash between them.

The explosions and clangs of metal could be heard even though they were a couple of kilometers away. The thought of people dying in this much dreaded war with the gods sent a chilly sensation down Themis's spine. However, Will seemed to have things under control, utilizing his no-nonsense flair to influence the reluctant civilians to get away from the fighting.

"Themis," Will said. "I need your help to take care of the women and the elderly. Aem and Amy are dealing with those at the front of the march. Can you do it?"

"S-Sure," her stomach churned with a tingling sensation. She could practically hear her own subconscious screaming his name like a fan girl would to a celebrity.

It was like a dream come true. It mattered not the kind of situation they were in. All she cared about was that she finally had some kind of 'alone' time with Will. There were a lot of things she wanted to say, yet her voice won't come out.

Just as she finally opened her mouth to speak, her eyes focused on the tense expression on Will's face as he directed the less fortunate with a gentle hand. She puffed out her chest, rushing over to his side in hopes to attract his attention.

A red flash zipped past the corners of her eyes. She turned to look at it, staring at a giant fireball that was coming down on them at a speed beyond any defenseless people could run. Without hesitation, she pulled the elder that struggled in his footsteps aside, diving away from the attack just before it could destroy them.

"Go!" Will said, pulling his sword and shield. "Their safety takes priority!"

He swung an uppercut with his sword, sending a wave of light energy ripping across the ground, intercepting another meteor that targeted the area. She could take her time to watch, but the sudden jerking she did to the old man had him grunting.

"It's a real surprise that someone's able to deflect my fireballs like that," a wicked voice rung in their ears.

A woman clad in predominantly red robe with a witch hat designed to look like a dragon's head descended on them. She stayed afloat with the help of her dragon-design broom, sitting on it like a real stereotypical witch. On her hand was a black metal staff that spewed flames that threatened to go out of control.

"Who are you?" Will asked, dragging his foot forward.

"Will?" Themis asked.

"Go, I'll handle this."

It appeared that she had no other choice. The elder she tackled earlier was too injured to recover from the fall properly. She scooped him up, ignoring the increased weight bearing down on her legs as she took flight. The other civilians followed suit, moving as fast as they could when a wall of fire blocked their path.

"You're not going anywhere," the red witch said.

Themis bit her lip. If she could use her magic, she would have teleported them out of the place without a hitch. But it won't work no matter how hard she tried; the power would just fizzle out on her with every attempt made.

"Mommy, I'm scared," a young boy hid behind his terrified mother, who was also burdened with an infant that refused to stop crying as the heat intensified.

"Ulkina," Will gritted his teeth. "How could you point your sword at us humans when you are one yourself?"

"Does it matter?" she threw a fireball which was deflected easily with a swing of the shield. "You all will fall eventually. Look at you, holding back just because a few people can't defend themselves."

"Hey you!" Themis shouted, putting down the elder slowly as she pulled out her wand. "You want to eat this?"

"Don't get provoked by the enemy, Themis," Will said. "Remember our objective."

"But…"

"I understand your sentiment. But we can't afford to fight her with so many of them on our backs."

"So what are we going to do?"

"I'll hold her back. You'll need to get them through the firewall while I distract her. Got it?"

She gulped at the notion of getting burned. "Um...if it's for their safety, I guess I can do it."

"Go. It won't take long before she will notice what we're doing."

Will broke into a sprint, throwing his shield that spun like a disc towards Ulkina. She raised her black staff, deflecting the attack almost effortlessly.

"You've got quite the cheek to fight me with your handicap," Ulkina said. "Let's see how you handle this."

The tip of her staff lighted up, as she pointed it at Themis. Before she could blink her eyes, a pillar of flames blazed towards her, moving so fast that it was impossible to evade it.

"Where is the magic when I need it the most?!" she shouted as she attempted to fan the blaze away from her, ignoring the intense bites it made on her arms.

"Sing, Lexida," a soothing voice said overhead.

The fire in front of her froze into several icicles joined together. In front of Will was a lady wearing a royal blue dress, modified with a chest plate and groin guard. Clenched on her left hand was a double edged sword with a matching color.

"So you decided to show up, Ice Goddess Selena," a smirk surfaced on Ulkina's face. "That'll make things more convenient for me."


	18. Ch 13 - Niflheimr

It wasn't like she got to wield Lexida every day. She could hear it sing her name in praise for her bravery, though it knew that fighting was the last thing in Selena's mind. But with Arius in a desperate struggle against the thunder god, she couldn't just sit back and watch his people die.

"Your highness!" Lucina jumped in, still wearing the brown cloak that covered her body. "You shouldn't…"

"Lucina," Selena returned a cold stare. "Get the civilians out of this place. I'll take on this witch."

"Are you sure about it?" Will asked.

"Do as I say. I can't guarantee your safety if you don't."

"R-Right away, ma'am," Lucina tumbled away, beckoning Will and Themis over. "Be careful…"

"That's real sweet of you," Ulkina said, idling on her broom. "Putting your life on the line for the sake of others."

"Are you done talking?" Selena pointed her sword at Ulkina, leveraging the weight forward before bursting into a sprint.

She swung Lexida across, sending a wave of ice only for it to be melted effortlessly under Ulkina's black magic.

"I like that look of yours," Ulkina said, spinning her staff wildly, summoning a rain of meteors down on them.

There was no time to think. Selena danced about, evading the individual flaming rocks before thrusting her sword towards the somewhat defenseless opponent. But the smirk on Ulkina's face appeared to tell her that she was wrong; Ulkina tilted her head to the side, dodging the hit so narrowly that if Selena could alter the course of Lexida, she would have cut the head off.

But Ulkina was faster - she swung her staff across, smashing Selena's face so hard that it felt like she was rammed over by a hammer. Selena somersaulted back, landing softly on the ground, unable to take her eyes off the drops of blood that found its way down.

"What happened? You used to be so much faster and stronger," Ulkina said, resting the staff on her shoulder.

"It's none of your business," Selena replied, returning to her original stance.

She cursed under her breath. The god's power was something to reckon with. But she wasn't about to give up just yet. Selena dashed forward, swinging Lexida only for Ulkina to jump away in full anticipation of the attack. She turned around, unloading a wave of ice, a small part of it sliced her opponent on the side, but the wound was far too shallow to properly incapacitate her.

Ulkina flew high into the air, unleashing another wave of flames that covered practically every possible escape route open. She bit her lip, holding the sword close to her waist as she watched the inferno blazed towards her. She mumbled a spell under her breath, swinging Lexida with renewed strength and vigor, freezing the entire blast when it touched the blade.

"Can't believe that you fell for it," Ulkina's voice trailed behind her.

She turned around, fear finally taking hold of her composure. The mouth of Ulkina's staff lit as a fiery mix of molten rock materialized on it. Selena turned around, but it was already too late. The fireball burned onto her shoulder, vaporizing the armor and cloth to reveal a grilled part of her skin.

"Is this the finest of you humans?" Ulkina asked, raising her staff at her. The screams of her subconscious rung in her ear, but the burns had practically paralyzed her. She shouldn't have shoved the help Lucina offered. Now, at the mercy of the enemy, all she could do now was to hope that Lexida would perform a miracle. A deafening clash of metal filled her ears with a ringing silence, the wind above her head moved so quickly that it felt like it was a gust. She looked up, staring at a petite lady wearing a tutu-like skirt.

"Are you alright, your highness? You don't look so good right now," the lady said.

"Who are you? That technique… where did you learn that from?"

"Themis. I just mimicked Vanros Klavier's favorite blocking technique. That's all, yes?"

"Vanros?"

"Hmph, I'm surprised his name dazes you even in the middle of a battle," Themis pushed the staff off. "Since you can't handle this on your own, I'll help you out."

"Thanks," a gentle smile surfaced on her face.

"A two-on-one isn't a fair battle," Ulkina commented. "It doesn't matter. The gods will approve my presence once I clear you two."

The duo jumped away from the point of contact. Even with the reinforcements, Ulkina remained unfazed by the mere numbers, activating a barrier of fire around her each time they attempted to get close. The chill on her left hand grew stronger by the minute, almost as though Lexida was beckoning her for her attention. But that was about to turn around - Selena swung Lexida with the renewed vigor and strength, clashing against the flaming protection. She mumbled a spell under her breath, freezing the wall that encased the fire witch.

Now frozen solid, her target had no means to defend herself. Selena swung her sword across, unleashing another wave of ice that toppled the top of the crystal tower over. But she took too long. Ulkina melted the remaining ice that encased her body, thrusting her staff right into Selena's abdomen.

"That didn't really hurt, goddess," Ulkina pulled the weapon out, watching Selena collapse without any form of resistance to the ground. She raised the stake on her, its tip gleaming in the sunlight.

"Did you forget about me?" Themis bounced high into the air behind Ulkina, smashing her wand flat on the head. It was so hard that she could have heard bones cracking. Blood trickled down her face as she turned around only to get slapped hard on the cheek with the jewel wand. Themis leveraged her weight forward, pointing the jewel wand as if it was an actual sword. She burst into a sprint, swinging it with so much speed and force that it swept the fire witch away.

"That'll keep her down for now," Themis said, stowing her bloody wand away.

"You have my thanks," Selena said.

"Come on, Klavier's probably not done yet," Themis trotted towards the area where agonizing screams and metal clashing with metal were music to their ears. "He'll probably need your support too."

Uda appeared faster than ever, preventing Klavier from breaking away to catch his breath for even just a second. The unrelenting opponent swept any forms of reinforcements away from them, keeping them confined in a space where only the two could stand on. Klavier deflected Uda's strike, but the strain it left from overexertion brought him to his knees.

"It's clear that you can't keep up," Uda said, sending him flying across the plains with an overpowering attack. "What have you been doing these fifteen years, Vanros Klavier?"

"This used to be so easy," Klavier mumbled, firing a mini red beam at Uda only for it to be deflected away from him.

"You humans are weak," Uda smashed him back to earth. "Does age grow on you so fast that you can't keep up anymore?"

"It's true that we're weak," Klavier broke the fall, wiping the blood that trickled down his forehead. "How is it, then, that a human like me is able to keep standing no matter how much you hit me?"

"You're trying to win a battle that's already lost," Uda said.

"What makes you think I have lost?" Klavier dived below the incoming strike, scooping up Uda by the thighs and lifted him off the ground. With his arm locked in his grasp, he collapsed backwards, smashing him right back down to the ground for a crippling blow to the back. The impact was so great that it left Uda somewhat paralyzed for a good few seconds.

"You've got moves for an aged swordsman," Uda said, blocking Klavier's attack before Sirkius could stab through his throat. "Why fight when you know the gods are way stronger?"

"Why kill the innocent people when you can try talking to them?" Klavier popped the white sword out of the scabbard in front of Uda's chin, sending him into the air. "We don't fight because we like it. We fight to defend ourselves."

"How noble of you to say that. Fine," Uda sheathed his lightning sword. "I'll hear no more from you."

Uda stood his ground, staring intensely at Klavier as though he was trying to read the next move Klavier was going to make. That stance was familiar - Klavier had seen him used that once in a distant past and he recalled the brutality of that strike that almost left him permanently disabled.

It happened when he was trying to save two kids that appeared like Selena and Lucina nearly fifteen years back. Klavier, along with a group of Summoners were tasked to fight off the gods that were invading Sama kingdom after they received a distress call from them. But their task was simple - assist in the civilian evacuation operation.

It was only in their imagination. The hordes of gods that attacked were so huge that all defenses were breached within the first few hours of the siege, leaving absolutely no time for the innocent people to get away from the conflict. Among those caught in it were the two children; one that had straight long blue hair and the other had fin-like ears popping out of her cotton-candy hair. The girl with the straight hair tripped over her long blue dress and before she had a chance to stand up, a yellow armored god was right before them, his lightning sword raised high in the air. Klavier swooped down from the rooftop, swinging his black sword that pushed the god's bloodthirsty blade away.

"Hmph, for a human to stop my attack like that," the lightning god said. "You are no ordinary one."

"Why are you doing this?" Klavier shifted his stance.

"It's none of your business," he burst forward so quickly that the air around him appeared to be cut by it. But Klavier's reflexes outmatched the charge - he raised his sword in a fraction of a second, stopping the relentless strike from going any further.

"Go," Klavier said to the kids. "I'll take care of this."

"But mister…" the girl with the odd ears said.

"Get out of here now!"

"Where do you think you're looking at?" the thunder god's voice bellowed from the heavens. He looked up, staring at a tiny figure in the sky gradually increase in size until he could make out the shape of a human-like body. On his hand was the sword crackling with lightning, pointed straight down at him.

Klavier jumped away before the attack could hit him. But the landing did more than just dig the sword into the ground. It sent shockwaves across the entire land, lighting them up with electricity that ripped through Klavier's body.

"Damn," Klavier mumbled, his right hand and leg completely numbed. "What kind of sick attack is that?"

"I told you already," the god said, sheathing his sword. "It's none of your business."

In a fraction of a second, the god was right before him, swinging his sword so fast that Klavier didn't even have the time to block or dodge the attack. The blade ripped through his body as he was sent into the air, the slash so deep that the blood oozing out of it appeared black for a moment. He touched down on the ground, his hearing muffled, his vision blurred so badly that the abyss wrapped it whole.

But that wasn't going to happen this time. Klavier sheathed his black sword, entering into the same stance that Uda was in. In a blink of an eye, Uda was right before him, his blade moving at an impossible speed just like the last time he fought him. Klavier pulled his sword out so hard and fast that the draw matched Uda's, their swords colliding into a clash that shook the air so violently it felt like an earthquake for a moment.

Uda raised his sword high the air, lightning crackling from it as if he was trying to intimidate Klavier. But that block was just a prelude. Klavier took a step back, sheathing his sword once more as he pulled Uda along with him, taking advantage of the aftermath of their high velocity clash. He ripped it out once more, breaking through all the armor that protected Uda's chest and deep into his flesh as he was sent into the air.

It was like the pressure in the atmosphere turned off. Klavier dug his black sword to the ground as he fell onto his knees. His body was aching, jittery from the immense amount of energy that the technique drained out of him. He struggled back up, regulating his shallow breath as he refocused on the Uda splayed on the ground.

"To think that a human can stop me," Uda said weakly as he forced himself up but not without a great deal of difficulty. He seized his sword, thrusting his sword towards the now defenseless Klavier when it was pushed off course.

"You used that technique again, didn't you?" the croissant-haired girl stepped in.

"Michele!"

"Don't look so surprised. I've seen you use that enough times to know how much it strains you."

"Get out of the way, woman," Uda slid the blade across the ground, electrocuting those that were near him. But the effect was not as strong as it used to be, though Michele still toppled over, her body twitching uncontrollably.

"Where are you looking?" Klavier asked, holding his sword steady, swinging it so fast that it shredded Uda in different angles.

Klavier fell to his knees again, the weight bearing down his shoulders so immense that it threatened to crush it. But his best wasn't enough - Uda stood back up in spite of sustaining already grievous wounds, the desire for battle burning endlessly in his eyes.

"I'll admit that that technique is good. But that's about all you can do, human," Uda said, swinging this sword down at Klavier. Instincts seized his body, he raised the blade in a desperate final stand.

"I can't lose!" Klavier said, bringing himself back to his feet. "Not this time. Not after what you've done to the Sama people!"

Uda pressed harder on him, forcing him back to his knees. Lightning surged in Uda's blade, buzzing deafeningly loud in Klavier's ears as it inched closer to his face.

"Sing, Lexida," a soothing voice said as a wave of ice swept Uda away.

"Klavier!" Themis jumped in front of him.

"Why must people keep meddling with my target?" Uda swept off the ice on his shoulders. "Fine, I'll take all of you on."

"Your opponent is me," Klavier picked himself up, but could not stand upright anymore. "Themis, please help Michele. It'll be over in a flash."

He sheathed his sword, his hand close to its handle as Uda rushed forward in an inhuman speed. Alas, just as Uda was right before Klavier, he forced the sword out of its scabbard, outpacing his opponent's swing, his blade digging far deeper into the already battered body as he shot Uda up into air once more. No one, not even a god of his caliber could survive that attack twice, at least in Klavier's most recent memories of it. But that was all he could do. The strain was so immense that his body practically shut down on him. He collapsed to the ground head first, the cold embrace of the abyss cloaking over him as everything blacked out.


	19. Ch 14 - Return

Featured song:  
>Kono Namida wo Kimi ni Sasagu – Cover by Animez and Tehishter<p>

watch?v=XF2LDlP84PY

Klavier didn't know how to die. Three days after getting knocked out cold he was alive and kicking, bursting with energy even though the wounds on his body were not completely healed yet. Uda was a tough opponent to deal with, so it couldn't be helped if he got hurt anyway. Examining his thoroughly scarred body still bugged Themis as to how he lived through those cruel times.

The swordfight they had suggested a long history of rivalry between them. They knew each other's techniques inside out, locked in a stalemate so long that it was a battle of endurance. He would have to count himself lucky for finding a loophole in Uda's defense. Thanks to the witty final attack, the Sama kingdom was returned to her people. It was not all sugar and sweet for they had to deal with the fact that their homes were nothing more than mere rubble. The work was far from over; Will mobilized the remaining people within Klavier's group to assist in the rebuilding effort.

The knights offered their services, lifting rubble that were beyond normal civilian's strength. Lilith and Duel-GX destroyed parts of the ruins, making way for a new site. The knights assisted, exploiting their unrivalled strength to transport the heavy stone blocks. Klavier couldn't help out in it since he was badly injured from the last fight. But he did what he knew best - playing various piano pieces that weaved into a single medley stretching nearly twenty minutes at once. However, it didn't come without some form of scolding from Themis. He wouldn't just learn his lesson already, straining his body when he was supposed to rest.

"Seriously," Themis said. "When will you learn your lesson?"

"It's not like it was intentional," he scratched his head.

"Arius told me how good a musician you are," Selena said, giving the cold stare at them. "My ears don't lie now, do they?"

"It's up to you to judge whether I'm good or not," Klavier laid back slightly. "I'm doing it to help relax some agitated workers."

"I see," Selena turned her back on them. "Continue playing that music. They'll love to hear more of it."

"Grr, she should have just told you to take a break," Themis stuck her tongue out at Selena.

"That marathon of songs is tiring okay?" he yawned. "So I guess I'll stop for now."

It wasn't long before he fell asleep, head flat on the keyboard. His mouth was wide open, drool flowing out like a fountain of water. Themis pulled him up, using her personal handkerchief to wipe the saliva spilled over to the keys before dragging him away.

"Don't go sleeping without telling me first, dimwit," she knocked his head gently.

A month had passed. The wounds on everyone were finally fully healed, though it took much longer than anticipated. Themis blamed it on the lack of comfort for her patients since they couldn't afford decent beds for them to rest on so they had to make the ground their friend. That meant getting muddy all over if they weren't careful. But with the tough time over and their supplies restocked, they set their sights on a small black tower peeked through the horizon. Klavier put on the blue robe, stashing the black and white swords on the right of his waist as the group completed their final checks.

"We're ready to go," Will said.

"Have all your equipment been maintained?" Klavier asked.

"Inspected and are in top condition," Aem said.

"Okay, time to make a move."

"Going so soon?" Arius asked, wrapped in a thick blue robe as he sipped in his coffee.

"Yes, sir," Klavier replied. "We thank you for your hospitality and hope that Sama kingdom will return to greatness."

"We will meet again," Arius exchanged a firm handshake with Klavier. "Vanros Klavier."

Arius led the way, escorting them from the security behind the castle walls to the fields just outside the kingdom. It wasn't long before the separation started to get a little painful, but they had no more reasons to stay. With another exchange of handshakes with Klavier and his group, Arius saw them off as they journeyed on back to their home.

It had been too long since he last stepped on home soil, and now it was almost time to step on it once more. A warm sensation ran down his spine just imagining it from the longing faces the rest of the crew were making as Duel-GX made its way to Lizeria. They braved through the varying terrains of heat, cold and thunder before finally reaching the capital of Lizeria, La Veda.

The city was just like it was when Themis left: merchants busily trading their goods in hopes of a great return, bakeries churning out the latest batch of bread and children playing random games at the open spaces. The time had come; they were finally home.

"Well," Amy said. "Doesn't it look good that La Veda's still at peace?"

"Of course," Michele said. "There's no place like home."

"Talking about home, I still need to return to Palmyna," she looked down at the floor.

"Do you need us to escort you back?" Klavier asked.

"I can handle it. Besides, it's not that far from here."

"Alright," Klavier gave a yellow emblem. "Keep it with you. It'll keep you safe."

"What is this?"

"A lucky charm," he scratched his head. "It's said that when in mortal danger, a bird of thunder will swoop down to assist you."

"What is the bird's name?"

"Zazabis."

"I see. In any case," she pulled up her helmet that blocked her eyes. "It's been a great honor working with you, Dragon Lord Vanros Klavier."

"Geez, you didn't need to say that," the stares from the public poked on his face.

Amy rode on a horse, whipping it hard that provoked it into a furious gallop, kicking up a good deal of dust in its wake as she rode out of the capital.

"Well, there goes one of us," Michele said. "I guess I'd better make my way back home too. Err, Klavier, make sure to take care of that robe."

"Sure."

"There she goes too," Themis said as Michele walked away with her chest puffed up.

"Don't you have a home to return to?" Klavier asked.

"It's only a laboratory. I sold my apartment thinking that I'll never set foot in this town again."

"Aren't you an unfortunate one…?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Maybe Will and Aem forgot about you when they rushed off to the barracks."

"I'm not allowed to go there even if I want to," her eyebrows formed a 'V' shape.

"Then you might as well come with me. Duel-GX, follow Michele will you?"

"MASTER'S ORDER CONFIRMED. TARGET: MICHELE," it recited as it walked off.

"Lilith, you're coming with me too," Klavier said.

"As you wish," she said.

Even though they were home, the stares by the public made her feel otherwise. It was expected anyway since she was away for so many years that she lost count of it. But one thing didn't seem to change from the time when they entered Arius's territory: Klavier seemed to repel all the hostile people just walking near them. It was like he had an invisible force keeping danger away from him, or could it be some form of magic?

In the outskirts of town was a small village situated closer to the mountains. The place was notorious for seemingly random weather patterns that rendered any form of prediction unreliable. But the good thing was that the weather was either rain or shine. At the foot of a house was a middle aged lady clad in a white robe that was browned with age. Themis's stomach churned as they approached the stranger, maybe because she was invading Klavier's private space.

"Err, Klavier, is it really okay for me to tag along?" Themis asked.

"Of course. Having butterflies in your stomach?"

"Sort of."

"Don't worry, they're pretty accommodating, I guess."

"What do you mean 'I guess'?!"

"It's been nearly ten years since I last saw them so I don't know whether they're the same as they were."

"I don't know about this…"

"It'll be fine. Just improvise if something goes wrong, alright?"

"Fine."

Themis couldn't bear to barge in just like that. Her sub consciousness led her to stop several steps away from Klavier's house. The woman teared up the moment their eyes met, running towards him so fast that she appeared to want to tackle him only to throw her arms around him. She could only imagine how it would feel like to be held by strong arms like his. If only Will could show that level of affection too…

"Target in delusional state," Lilith's voice rang at her ear.

"W-What the hell are you doing?!"

"Target too loud. Klavier heard you," a smirk surfaced on her poker face for a split second.

"It's because of you, dimwit!"

It was like she was living through the events of a horror novel; Klavier and his wife approached them so fast that she had virtually no time to react.

"Ana, meet my friend, Themis," he said.

The signs of ageing was clear on her face. While she still had the youthful figure any girl would dream of, her face was suffered from loss of youth. Even so, Themis couldn't help but to stare at the radiance of her smile along with a well-maintained orange-brown hair that was tied to a ponytail.

"Nice to meet you," Ana said. "I heard a lot about you."

"How nice of him," she raised an eyebrow at Klavier. "You still look quite young, you know that?"

"To hear it from a young one like you," Ana couldn't contain her happiness, laughing like she never laughed before. "I'm really touched."

"Ana, what about our son? Is he around?" Klavier asked.

"Um, about that…"

The sudden tension killed all the happiness and cheer in the air. Klavier looked on with a blank look as Ana whispered the news at his ear. Themis could hear her own subconscious scream the desire to know about Klavier's son. Who knows, maybe he could become the next head knight just like Will.

"Themis, do you want to meet him?" Klavier asked.

"Sure, why not?" she stiffened up at the thought of meeting another young man.

"Expect to be disappointed," Lilith commented.

"You'd better shut that robot mouth of yours or I'll stuff water in it," Themis said.

"Try me."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Hey," Klavier stepped in. "We're not here to fight okay? Ana, lead the way."

Ana turned around, leading them to a house that was by no means the richest or cleanest sort. They had pretty much all the basic amenities any household ought to have, along with a small fireplace to keep them warm in the cold nights. On the side of the carpets was an upright piano, messed up with random music scores that were scattered by the wind.

"Maroma," Ana walked through a room covered with a ragged cloth blind. "Your father's back."

"I'm busy now, mom. I'll see him later," a young boy's voice escaped from the room.

"That boy, he's always in the forge trying to create the best sword."

"If that's the case," Klavier took the two swords off his waist. "I think I can ask him to help inspect these two swords. Excuse me," he went in.

Themis couldn't stand the suspense. She had to see the boy already. Her feet led her into a dark room where the forge's fire was the only source of light. It was insanely stuffy even though there was sufficient ventilation with the windows wide open. In front of the anvil was a person who looked very like Klavier, except that he had the hair color of his mother's.

"Mom, didn't I tell you not to let anyone in? Why is dad here, and what is that midget doing over there?" Maroma protested.

"Call me 'midget' again and I'll make sure you don't see the sun rise tomorrow," a vein popped out of Themis's temples.

"Please don't agitate her," Klavier said with an uncomfortable laugh. "Anyway, it's been a while, Maroma."

"Don't call me that," he swung the sword he was forging, cutting a few strands of Klavier's hair.

"Hey you," Themis stepped in. "That's not how you treat your dad."

"What do you know?"

"I'm sorry," Ana said. "He doesn't look like he's ready to accept your return just yet."

"Don't fret," the tips of Klavier's lips lifted. "I should be sorry for barging in like that. So if you'll excuse me…"

The smile won't fool Themis. He was disappointed, thoroughly disappointed that his son would do a despicable act. He walked out of the room, leaving a ripping pain in her heart as the hard-hearted Maroma looked on remorselessly. Maroma won't get away with this.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Themis pulled Maroma by the collar.

"Themis!" Ana cried. "Please! Stop!"

"Keep out of this, ma'am. This boy needs to know something important."

"I will cut you down if you insist on your aggression," Maroma said.

"Look boy, I don't know what the deal with your old man is. But get this clear: he has done everything he can to provide for you all the blessings that you enjoy right now. So at the very least, respect him for who he is."

She let go of him, nudging him to the bucket of water right behind him. His foot sunk right into the bucket, breaking the balance that he fought so hard to maintain, dunking his head into another pail of water that spilled all over his body. That ought to serve him right for being a jerk to his dad. She turned to look at her adversary, who was now soaking wet. He curled into a ball, his arms wrapped around his chest as he looked at Themis with scorn.

"That didn't hurt, did it?" guilt bit Themis on the neck. "Why is he curling up as though he needs to hide something? If it's a tattoo, you can show it to me."

"That's not it," Ana said as she comforted the agitated Maroma.

"I do know that girls will do that kind of thing so it's really odd to see a guy do that," Themis scratched her head. "Wait. Don't tell me…"

"I'm sorry, but yes."

Themis's jaws hung open. "Y-Your son…what in the crap?! Wait, I need to see this."

She examined Maroma's body once more, outlining the figure that resembled a typical female model's. Maroma's jawline appeared to be less angular than it was supposed to be but it was well masked under the influence of the short hair that made him look very similar to Klavier.

"Does he know about this?" Themis asked.

"Not yet," Ana said.

"If he finds out about this…"

"Finds out about what?" Klavier was already at Themis's side.

"Um, err," Themis glanced at Ana. She would have something to cover up this mess. But no, all Ana was able to do was to reflect the shock that took Themis by storm too. It was then that she knew that there was no way to hide that secret from him. His expression was stony for a split second, probably absorbing the sudden revelation that his son was actually a girl.

"So that was what worried you guys?" Klavier asked, a grin surfacing on his face.

"I'm sorry, Klavier," Ana went down to her knees. "We don't have a son."

"Does it matter?" Klavier wrapped his blue cloak around the soaked Maroma, revealing the countless scars that the tattered white shirt could not hide. "Go on, get changed or else you'll catch a cold.

"Dad…?" Maroma looked on as he walked out of the room.

He had to be thoroughly disappointed for him to lose the mood to talk. Even so, the courage to face the fact with a smile disarmed them of any defensive measures against him since Klavier appeared to be at his breaking point.


	20. Ch 15 - Railgun

Maroma couldn't accept it. Her mother was hugging a complete stranger as if she knew him for so long, and then she identified that man to be her father. Granted, he was a gentle person, but the sudden revelation that that young looking fellow was her dad? No way. Mother couldn't have married a person so much younger than her.

It was getting dark already but she wasn't ready to return home after running away from him. The only companion with her was the excessively heavy cloak he gave her and the sword that she forged earlier. But she wasn't used to the incoming darkness, frightened at the thought of meeting beings of the dark, devils, demons and what not. As if that was not bad enough, it didn't feel like she was alone sitting on the swing of a rundown playground. She scanned her environment only to find an owl staring back at her from the safety of the trees. Yet it was not a time to be complacent. She picked herself up, moving towards home but not without some caution.

She increased her pace, driven by the adrenaline fueling her as the lights around her flickered. She turned around, not a single soul appeared to be following her. So what was it that was making her feel worked up? The environment around her started to heat up. At the same time, pain twisted her heart so much that she fell to her knees.

When she came to, a giant centaur cloaked in fire was right before her, its breath steaming hot. Her hand dropped to her sword. It squinted at that sight, letting out a roar so loud that she was forced to cover her ears. It charged towards her, swinging its fiery axe when a line of black intercepted it.

In front of it was the heavily scarred man her mother called 'dad'. The fury of the flames triggered by the charge failed to pull him down as he slashed through the monster effortlessly. Its body decomposed, melting away under its own flames, leaving only burnt ashes and a red emblem on the ground.

"Whoa," she mumbled, a mix of surprise and adoration stirred in her heart.

"Are you okay?" Klavier offered his hand.

"Um, yeah, I guess," she accepted his hand. "How did you know I was here?"

"Your mom told me," he sheathed his sword. "She got worried that you weren't back when you were supposed to. She's down with housework, so she sent me to fetch you."

It felt more like an excuse by her mom to have some interaction time with him. After all, they just met and were blood related. As much as his presence irked her, she could not discount the fact that he saved her from certain death. Any normal person would celebrate their victory. Instead, Klavier remained quiet, his eyes focused on the dark, lonely road ahead of them.

Not a word about that incident was uttered by Klavier's mouth once they returned home. He simply greeted mother with a gentle but exhausted smile before stashing away all the dangerous tools on him at one corner of the house. He dragged his feet away to one of the rooms, retiring for the night. Things ought to have lightened up now that they were altogether but that hope was squashed when mother looked on at the tired man with even more worry.

"Maroma," Ana said. "What happened to your dad?"

"He's just a little tired," she replied dismissively.

"It's not just 'a little'," Ana's eyebrows arched inwards. "He always looks like that whenever he carries a sword."

"Geez, why are you so worried about him? It's not like he's going to die."

"But you don't know _when_ he is going to," she let go of Maroma, now lost in her own miasma of thoughts.

What was the big deal? He just subdued a giant monster with a single slash. Surely he could do it again. The atmosphere was nothing but tension ever since he returned – mother was constantly looking out for Klavier as he went on playing the piano for hours, trying to perfect a song that sounded impossible to be done with just one person.

This could not go on. She had that sword stashed on her waist for a long time already but not a single moment did she draw it out. If she took on a request that required her to display her strength, would that man acknowledge her presence and get out of the house?

It was worth the gamble. Maroma went into one of the most prominent taverns in La Veda, famous for their top quality booze and countless requests by townsfolk. She looked through the list, ranging from crop pillagers to exterminations of gods that plagued the land outside of La Veda. It was time to show just how good she really was. She grabbed the most difficult mission offered possible, grabbing the attention of the entire townsfolk in the tavern but only one spoke up about it.

"Hey," a knight carrying a giant sword said. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

"Who are you?" Maroma asked.

"Aem. If it's me," he lifted his helmet, revealing wavy white hair and sharp blue eyes. "I wouldn't want to go alone."

"Don't stick your nose to other people's business."

"Look, I'm saying that you will need help. This is not a fight that one man can do."

"I told you already," she turned her back on him. "It's none of your business."

"Wait, please just listen to this old man."

She shut the door behind her before he could say anymore. Anyone would tell her it was reckless of her to take on it. But when she could prove it to them, they'll be biting the dust. They'll have to recognize her as the new almighty figure and with that power, maybe she could show Klavier whose boss.

There was nothing but Maroma in his mind. There were numerous experiences of a person who was so driven to chase him out, but not of the intensity that Maroma displayed. The stubbornness was appalling – all he was trying to do was to advise her to be a little more mindful in her actions only to be pushed away. Any normal person would have given up on her by now. But he refused to, not until he could find a way to go through the thick wall erected in her heart.

"Klavier!" Aem charged towards him so fast that he didn't have time to react. "Klavier! Bad news."

"Hold your horses, what's going on?"

"There's this girl," Aem said. "Who wants to fight the Sibyl Sisters that are based in the mountains just outside of La Veda."

"The Sibyl Sisters? You mean the goddesses that tried to destroy us humans in the ancient times?"

"Rumors have it that they're awakened recently and has been causing disturbance to the mountain trekkers. Thus the request to exterminate them. That girl, she wants to take them on alone."

"Who is the girl?"

"She has long, strawberry blonde hair and hazel eyes. She carries a sword similar of your size."

All of the color drained from his face. "Maroma…"

"Sir, if you will, I will-"

Before Aem could complete his sentence, Klavier burst into a panicked sprint towards the mountains. He could hear Aem shout his name but he couldn't care any less. That girl was completely out of her mind, trying to take on goddesses that had more than enough experience to destroy even the best fighters humanity had to offer.

Klavier braved through the tough terrain, ignoring the cries of his body to slow down. As if that wasn't bad enough, the path upwards was filled with monsters that attacked the moment they saw him. It was like the goddesses were using them to protect themselves. Either that was true, or that it was a means to wear down anyone that crossed through this place before fighting the Sibyl Sisters themselves.

The road eventually widened into a massive open space, large enough to host an epic scale arena battle. On the middle of the area were the three Sibyl Sisters, one that had ice blue hair, another sat on an exaggeratingly large rose and the last one had black angel wings.

In front of them was a woman that was just like what Aem described – strawberry blonde hair and carried a sword. She swung her weapon across, only for it to be intercepted effortlessly by the blue haired goddess. But the block did more than just stop the attack. Her weapon snapped into two, leaving no chance for her to counterattack.

Klavier couldn't just stand there. He dashed towards them at the fastest his legs could allow him, stepping right in between the two fighters before the fight could conclude.

"Dad?! What are you doing here?" Maroma asked.

"The same question I want to ask you. What in the world are you thinking, pointing your sword at these brutal goddesses?"

"But…"

"You and I will have a good talk later."

"Do you really think we'll let you come out alive?" the ice goddess asked.

"You're not challenging me, are you, Eliza?"

"Sisters," she raised her arm across before they could intervene. "This is my fight. I think it'll be far more interesting than that girl."

"Three seconds," Klavier said as he sheathed the sword. "I only need three seconds."

Eliza wielded her two sinister swords out, mumbling a spell under her breath as she unleashed a pillar of dark crystalized ice towards him. He tumbled to the side, but she was already right in front of him.

Before the blades could sink into his flesh, he ripped his weapon out at a speed that took Eliza by surprise. The cutting edge sunk deep into her body but it refused to shed blood as she was flung high into the air, leaving nothing more than a deep abrasion across. She touched down hard onto the ground without any form of cushioning, her eyes rolled up and mouth wide open.

"Eliza?" the goddess sitting on the rose said, horror written all over her face.

"Now is your turn, Paula," Klavier said, all traces of warmth taken over by intense bloodlust in his eyes.

It was a mere façade. His body was aching all over after using that technique. If Themis was around, she'd probably scold him again for over-stressing his body. Showing fatigue to the opponent was not an option. He had to end this battle quick if he were to hope to fight the last one without revealing his apparent lack of stamina.

Unlike the ice goddess, Paula was far more cautious in attacking, maintaining a distance between them. To make things worse, each time he tried to get close, she would push him back, ripping his body with countless thorns of the rose that blended well into her wind strikes. He knew right then that a frontal assault would not work against the play-it-safe goddess.

Having lost enough blood from her harassment, the change of strategy was needed. He closed his eyes, sheathed his sword as he allowed his ears to pick up the sound of the violent air rushing towards him. As it started to scream at his ear, he popped the white sword out of its scabbard. The blade met some resistance, followed by a grunt that gave away her actual location. He turned to the side where he heard her, staring at the goddess. The once confident opponent was now brought down by probably the most intense fear that she had experienced as he threw her off her comfortable rose seat to experience the hard ground.

"Checkmate," Klavier said as he swung his sword down her shoulder so hard that she collapsed from the smash, knocked out senseless from it.

"For a mere human to knock the lights out of my sisters single-handedly, you are definitely not an ordinary one," the goddess with the black wings said as she walked past her fallen comrades. "I believe you know who I am, mortal."

"Madia, the leader of this group," Klavier replied, turning to face his final adversary.

"What are you going to do, fight me in that condition?"

"All I ask is that we get out of this place. In return, we will tell the townsfolk not to hurt you."

"You care about negotiating after what you've done to my sisters? Hah, you're a cheeky one," she summoned a dark ball that hovered in front of her, her eyes filled with nothing but bloodlust.

This was bad. His vision was starting to get blurry from all the fighting and now he was forced into another one with virtually no rest. But giving up was not an option. They had to return home, and that meant that he must survive no matter what.

"You're making a mistake, Madia," Klavier said as he evaded her projectiles. "I didn't come here to slaughter you."

"I told you already, there's no use negotiating," she moved in so close that their noses almost touched. Fear took a hold of him as Madia's weapon shined with a blue twinkle, unleashing a water cannon at his face. He rolled across the ground, the grains of the sand sinking into his skin before getting his head smashed against an earth wall.

Blood rushed down his face, the sheer volume so great that it momentarily blocked his sight. His head was spinning from the intense impact, nearly losing his footing once as he forced himself back up. This had to be the fury of the goddess for taking down her sisters. Had Maroma take such a deadly hit, her survival would most definitely be uncertain. He pulled the heavy sword out of the ground, leveraging the weight to his front as he tipped forward. All he needed was just one hit and it would be all over.

But before he could lock onto his target, Madia disappeared from his sight, breaking the much needed concentration for the technique he was about to use. He turned around, his eyes set upon the dark starry ball on her hands as she mouthed the words 'Extinction'. A dark, bitter feeling filled in his heart – not because of the increasingly dire situation that he found himself in, but because it somehow felt as if Madia executed that attack to him before.

She unloaded a wealth of sharp earth at him, piercing through his feeble defense like a hot sword through butter. Just as he expected it, the final attack was the one that overwhelmed him. Before long, he collapsed, losing every means to struggle his way back up.

The man mother called 'dad' was thrown high into the air, the white sword spinning out of his grasp as he landed hard on the ground. He would get up even if it hurts, but this time, he didn't. She crawled forward, ignoring the increasingly intense pain that culminated on her shoulder. But the man, as resilient as he was, laid there motionless, his eyes rolled up and mouth wide open.

This couldn't be happening. All she wanted was to prove to him that she was strong, that she didn't need him or mother to worry over her. She didn't just drive him away. She murdered him using the hands of the ruthless goddesses. A bitter feeling ripped through her, tears flowing out against her will.

The sudden realization of her malicious acts gave way to a kind of pain that would not subside regardless of how loud she screamed it out. Images of the gentle smile of Klavier's flooded in her mind as if the guilty mind was punishing her for killing her father.

"Does it sting?" Madia asked as she closed in on Maroma. "Does it sting so much that you want to end it right now?"

"S-Stay away," she picked up her broken sword, crawling back until she bumped onto a wall.

"What are you going to do now that your protector is dead? Hmm? Slay me?"


	21. Ch 16 - Spirit

"Klavier!" a loud, husky voice shattered the silence between them. Maroma turned to the source of the noise, watching an armored man that warned her earlier about the request dive into battle with his great sword. Before he could land a strike on Madia, she teleported away, distancing herself from the swordsman.

"Aem?" Maroma asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Helping you, of course. Klavier, where is he?"

Her chest tightened as she pointed at where he laid.

"You demon," rage swirled in his eyes as he turned to the goddess. "What have you done to him?!"

"I was just defending myself, no?" a sinister smile surfaced on Madia's face.

"What has defending got to do with murdering?"

"Everything. Be gone, mortal," she raised her hand, unleashing earth shards in the midst of water and a pool of darkness all in one combination. He raised his sword, blocking the attack with all his might, sliding across the ground as the force overwhelmed him. But before he could attempt to retaliate, Madia was already in front of him, unloading the deadly water cannon that sent him crashing to the wall. It wasn't about to stop him anytime soon, he stood right back up but not without a little bit of difficulty. He picked up his weapon, sending a wave of light just before his opponent could attempt slay him. It wasn't near enough to stop her; Madia maneuvered around the wave, sending a crippling kick to the side that sent him into the air again.

"You wouldn't stay down, would you?" Madia asked as Aem rose to his feet.

"It's not a matter of whether I'll win or not," Aem choked as blood filled his mouth. "There's somebody I need to protect."

"How delusional can you get?" Madia grabbed him by the neck, lifting him off the ground.

As if his beliefs were only an illusion. Aem thrust the back of sword handle onto her face, twisting the nose off its original shape. She let go of him, curling up on the ground as she writhed in pain. But before he could finish her off, she unleashed a barrage of earth shards. Unlike the one that struck Klavier, the projectiles pierced through the thick armor and into his body. He reached out for one of the shards, attempting to pull out one of them when she slapped him on the face with her boot.

"That settles the other," Madia turned to Maroma once more, looking even more determined to destroy her once and for all. Just as she was about to strike down the helpless woman, the place lit with a white light so bright that it forced them to cover their eyes.

She turned to the source of the light, staring at Klavier's body that was hunching forward and back on his feet, supported by a white lion a few times larger than him. It spread its wings out, looking at Maroma briefly before merging itself with Klavier, leaving a white aura surrounding his body in its wake.

Not a single word was uttered as the supposedly dead Klavier rolled his eyes back to look at Madia, his face reflecting the fury of a tiger. Before anyone could say anything, he let out a piercing cry that shook Aem awake. He glanced at Maroma for a split second, softening his expression probably in an attempt to quell the panic that stirred her up in that rally shout, returning to the same fearsome appearance when he looked back at Madia.

"So you decided to play dead for a while, eh?" Madia asked. "So, how shall I destroy you?"

Klavier blazed through the sandy ground, kicking up a sandstorm at the swing of the sword as he got closer to his adversary. Madia took a step back, releasing a flurry of earth shards at him. He tilted to the side, evading most of the projectiles, unfazed by those that poked him as he struck her orb on its middle. He grabbed onto her arm before she could land a punch to the face, countering it with a head-butt that caused Madia to fall on her knees for a second.

He took a few steps back, sheathing his weapon as he waited for the goddess to get back up on her feet. The anger resonated with her opponent, now blinded by her own madness as she charged towards him, her cracked orb summoning the best that she could conjure at point blank range. Dodging would be impossible. Instead, he pulled his sword out faster than the earth missiles could move, catching her just before the shards could hit him.

But that was all that he could manage. Exhaustion seeped in, draining him of all the adrenaline that kept him going for so long. He dug the blade to the ground, using it to help him resist the gravity that was trying to pull him down.

"You really aren't an ordinary human being," Madia said as she got right back up. "But that's all that you can do."

He was more than ready to counter-attack Madia, but handling so many battles before this thoroughly squeezed him dry of all the energy he needed to keep going. It couldn't just end with some comeback and then getting crushed once more. Madia was already in front of him, just as bloody as he was but far more combat-healthy. A thick ball of water materialized on the starry night orb of hers. This time, it was taking a little longer, probably since he damaged it a little earlier. He raised his sword, readying himself of the incoming attack when a ball of light hovered in between them.

Before he could react, the ball of light shifted shapes, and as if materializing out of thin air, a woman emerged from it. A blinding aura danced above her brow and she wore shimmering silver armor with engraved designs that could only have come from the gods. Klavier's stomach churned as he stared into her face. Long, lime hair, immaculately smooth skin and sky blue eyes – an appearance that wouldn't be possible for typical humans to achieve. She had to be an angel, or at least a divine messenger.

"What in the world?" Klavier blurted out.

"Cease this fighting, Madia," the woman said.

"You again," Madia's expression darkened. "Do you not know how to mind your own business, Sola?"

"Sola? The Ray Sibyl?" Klavier asked.

"That's right," the tips of her lips lifted slightly.

"Get out of my way," Madia said, the spell that conjured on her hands growing bigger by the second.

"Stop this madness, Madia! I'm not here to fight!"

Such a cry fell onto deaf ears. Hesitation took hold of Sola as her sister charged forward relentlessly. Klavier picked himself up, silencing his inner voice of defeat as he pulled the black sword out of its scabbard. He pointed the weapon at Madia, imploring to the gods that sided humanity to grant him just one more ounce of power.

"Bellow, Sirkius!" the sword lit up with intense black flames, directed at the insane Madia.

But no, Sola stood in front of Madia, her arms spread out in total surrender as she got blasted away by the fury of Sirkius's power. She fell to her knees, her armor thoroughly charred by the flames, revealing the horror on Madia's face.

"Damn, I'm totally spent," Klavier mumbled, looking at the black blade, the life that once flowed in it was now replaced with a cold touch of the metal.

"Your intervention was unnecessary, Sola," Madia stepped over her.

"Imbecile," Klavier gritted his teeth. "Is that how you treat your sister?"

"Who are you to tell me off, human?"

"Isn't it something that you gods and goddess should know yourselves?" Klavier picked himself up once more. "That compassion and mercy were what you taught us? We were not believing a lie, were we?"

It was no use. Not a single trace of remorse in her eyes as she wielded her nearly broken orb in a desperate bid to kill him off. She swung her hand authoritatively, unleashing a massive barrage of earth shards that flew towards him. But she had already executed it once and that would not fool Klavier again. He slid towards her, keeping his body low enough to avoid all the projectiles before grabbing Madia by the thigh.

He pushed himself to her side and used the shoulders as a support to lift her off the ground. With her arms locked in his grasp, he collapsed backwards, smashing her right back down to the sand for a crippling blow to the back.

But he could do no more. His body was aching all over from both the wounds inflicted and the tiresome workout he had throughout the journey. It was so bad that he could barely lift his head up.

"Klavier!" he heard a man's voice, then the rushed stomps of the foot that increased in intensity. That had to be Aem coming to his aid. "Hoi Klavier! Keep it together!"

"I'm not dead yet, fool," he replied.

"Thank the heavens you're still awake," Aem's lips cracked open into a relieved smile. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of much help."

"It's fine. You took care of my daughter when I'm fighting there. Let's go home already…" the fatigue finally got the better of him, forcing his heavy eyelids closed as he fell into a deep slumber.

Two months passed since that day but the incident was still as fresh in her head like it happened the day before. It could well be a blessing that such an experienced medic was lurking in their house for a long time, for Themis was the one who cared for Klavier who remained in a vegetable state for a month. She never mentioned anything about what she could truly do, leaving Maroma the impression that she was just a high school girl trying to get taller.

She awoke in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat. Her mind had done it again, replaying the bitter memories of how Klavier refused to wake up after knocking the lights out of Madia, leaving Aem to support him as they made their way back home. She got off the bed, cursing her past self for making her go through that.

It was all but silent. Her ears picked the sounds of a slow, soothing piano song. She followed the traces of the music, leading her out of the stuffy room and into the living room where the heavily bandaged Klavier sat in front of the instrument. But he wasn't alone. Themis sat by his side, hugging a small pillow, her body swaying to the music.

"I see you're up," Klavier said as he slowed the pace to a stop.

"How did you know I'm here?" Maroma asked.

"Your footsteps gave it away," he turned around, pulling a 'surprised-you-eh' smile.

"You're supposed to be sleeping," Themis said. "If not, you'll not grow taller."

"But I can't sleep," Maroma looked down on the floor.

"Okay," he said slowly.

"You know," Themis said. "I've been itching to ask for a while already."

"What is it?" Klavier asked.

"Err, how did you mistake Maroma to be a boy?"

"It's a long story you know," he scratched his head uncomfortably. "But the short version of it is that mom told me she's a boy at birth."

"Why's that?"

"Maroma's the only surviving child in the family. She was supposed to be the third child, but the other two didn't survive later than the age of five," he heaved a sigh.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Shouldn't have asked."

"Now that I thought of it, mom probably told me that Maroma's a boy to save myself the glares from the elders. You know, the tradition of males taking over the lordship that I hold."

It was then Maroma realized that he was thinking of his family the whole time even when he was away from home. Guilt welled up in her heart. Had she known the pain he went through to return home, she wouldn't have treated him so badly.

"I'm sorry," Maroma clenched her fists tight. "I shouldn't have…"

"That thing is the past. You can do something about the future though."

"You're lucky to have a dad like him," Themis pulled his cheek. "He always charges into battle without considering his own safety."

"Get off me!" Klavier poked her forehead.

"You know, mother won't like this," Maroma looked at them with the half-closed eyes.

"I know," Themis let go of his cheek. "Well, knock us out already. I can't sleep too you know."

"As you wish," his eyebrows twitched for a moment.

For once, Maroma looked forward to the kind of music that Klavier played. He lowered his hands to the keyboard, taking a deep breath before starting on his first piece. It was just like mother said, he played the songs with so much passion and fervor that it raised the hair at the back of her neck. It wasn't long before her eyelids started to get heavy under the constantly flowing music. Before she knew it, she was already asleep.

Eliza didn't know if she should be thankful that the human whom she fought earlier spared her life. It was a great insult to her pride, but it wasn't like she wanted to throw her life away just like that either. There wasn't a single drop of blood shed by the sword that struck her, only deep abrasions that still stung even after hours had passed. But it didn't hurt as much as when she was first hit by it, giving her the strength she needed to get back up to check on her sisters. She nudged Paula, who moaned in pain as she opened her eyes.

"Eliza?" she said softly.

"I'm here," Eliza returned an assuring smile.

"We're not dead, are we?"

Paula wrapped her arms around her. But it wasn't any normal hug, Paula was trembling, sniffing away as her nose got blocked by the snot.

"I was scared," she croaked, unable to hold back the tears of fear. "I thought he was going to kill me…"

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have…"

"Urrgh," a voice said from the distance.

"Madia," Eliza couldn't hide the pleasure in her words. "You're okay!"

"What? Of course I'm okay. Who do you think I am, huh?"

"I got worried for once. That man wielded more than enough power to slay gods."

"He definitely isn't an ordinary human to be able to command the Keeper of Order."

"Leorone," Eliza and Paula echoed darkly.

"Well, at least we got away with our lives," Madia shrugged. "But legend says that when Leorone revives a person, it does so by taking the extra life force left on him."

"What?"

"In other words, the one who gets revived will have drastically lowered strength and vigor. In the long run, that is."

"So what do we do now?" Eliza asked. "My senses tell me he isn't pursuing us."

"We'll strike while his guard is down," Madia licked her lips wickedly. "This time, we'll not be alone."

Eliza's heart sunk. "Are you sure about this? Attacking the humans will provoke Freya and Zele."

"Who cares? They're to be exterminated, as the higher ranking gods said."

For once, Eliza was inclined to disagree.


	22. Ch 17 - Sanctuary

Klavier was losing strength. It would normally take one slash to take down an elder tree. This time, however, he took two and it drained a lot of stamina from him. It probably had something to do with his inactivity from the coma, but there was that nagging feeling that it was more than that. It would be best not to tell anybody about this weakening condition on him, especially to Ana.

He returned home just before dawn broke, the sound of metal cutting the air ringing in his ears. It had to be Maroma perfecting her standard swing. There was far more conviction in each attempt since that day she managed to get away with her life. He would have done the same in her shoes, not wanting to experience the helplessness she had when the people around her were dying by the enemy's hands. He entered his room, barely visible with the lack of candlelight. His eyes made out the silhouette of a person a head shorter than him, bumping into various equipment as though it was blind in the darkness. The person grunted as silently as it could, his ears picking up a voice similar to Themis.

"Themis," he rested his hand on his hip. "What the hell are you doing in my room?"

"That voice," she turned her head to where he was. "Oh, it's you. I was just checking the magical signatures left behind by your robe."

"What about it?"

"There's a powerful dark energy in that robe that's not coming from you. I assume it's just the aftermath of your fight against the Sibyl Sisters but it's not the case."

"Err, simple words please."

"The Sibyl Sisters are still alive."

"Um, yeah. What about it?"

"I get a very sinister vibe from them. Like they're sending a warning to us."

"What warning?"

"I don't know. But I can't seem to decipher the message."

"Why not we get specialists to check on it? It'll speed up the process. More so especially if it's very bad news."

"Oh. I guess you're right. In that case, we should meet Will. He knows where all the finest magicians are in La Veda, among those is one who reads the stars to tell the individual's fortunes. It turns out to be quite accurate."

"Do you know his name?"

"Amul, she is otherwise known as Maiden Amul."

"A she…"

"Yeah. In any case, let's go find him so we can see this person."

"What about Ana?"

"Lilith will take care of her. Let's get going while it's still dark."

It had been a long time since she walked along with Klavier without Will and Aem accompanying her. He normally would give a cold shoulder whenever they were alone, lost in his own train of thoughts over god-knows-what.

Themis couldn't take her eyes off him, not because of any form of attraction growing between them, but rather, the once youthful-looking Klavier was now lost to a significantly older appearance. Despite the changes, he was yet to lose his flexibility and agility in combat, which he still had with great mastery in their encounters with lurking monsters in the path.

The sun was already in the highest point of the sky when they arrived to the capital of La Veda. Klavier put on a straw hat the moment they stepped into the city as if it was to hide his face from the face of the crowd. She raised an eyebrow, but all he did was to place his finger on his lips with a cheeky smile behind it. He must have done something despicable to force him to hide his face, but she couldn't really bother asking about it.

Away from the bustling city life was a more disciplined area where only armed men and women walked on. They were greeted with cold stares as they went past, sometimes even getting stopped because of Klavier's shady appearance. She cursed under her breath, taking the hat off to reveal his ageing face.

Beyond the flight of stairs they moved up was a massive, plain tiled area where hundreds of knights clad in simple leather armor populated the place. It reeked with body odor and sweat, the stench so strong that Themis couldn't help but to cover her nose. Klavier looked on as though he was hypnotized by the scene, watching the commanders whip the trainees to shape. The constant shouts of, "I can't hear you!" bang her eardrums to the point of irritation. She tugged him by the sleeve, dragging him away before the powerful scent could drive her crazy.

Klavier stopped on his tracks, unable to take his eyes off a peculiar knight in the midst. She was relatively small in size, wearing a red headband over her thick curly hair. She swung the decorative bastard sword, slicing the training dummy into two, leaving no trace of stray wood in its wake.

"Can we get going already? I can't stand the smell!" Themis said.

"A clean cut, eh?" Klavier walked over to that young lady as though he was magnetized to her.

"Hoi!" she pinched his cheek. "Are you listening?!"

"I am! I am! Just that this young lady displayed fine swordsmanship."

"I did? Thanks mister," the knight shuffled her feet, looking down at the floor.

"Alma! That was a great shot!" a buffed man tackled the knight from the side, resting the giant axe handle on his huge shoulders.

"You could a bit more gentle dad!" Alma scoffed.

"Hogar, is that you?" Klavier asked.

"Klavier?"

They exchanged an intense set of stares for a good few seconds, stirring nothing but discomfort in the atmosphere around them. Themis was about to drag Klavier away when the two wrestled each other like how bears would in their duels. But it was all for show; they let go of each other, laughing their hearts out at a reunion that had not happened for probably several years.

"Look at you, age sure is catching up to you fast, Lord Dragon!" Hogar rested his hand on Klavier's shoulder. "But heck, you still possess that intimidating aura even until now!"

"Dad? Who is that guy you're talking to?" Alma asked.

"Oh. My bad," Hogar pushed Alma forward. "Klavier, this is my daughter, Alma. Alma, this is Lord Dragon, Vanros Klavier."

"Lord Dragon in the flesh?!"

"Hey," Klavier said. "Don't go boasting my title without my approval."

"Is it true?" she tugged his shoulder. "You're the Lord Dragon?"

"Yeah."

"Can you show just one move of yours? Please?"

"I would love to," he patted Alma's head. "But no. The only reason why I carry these swords is to protect my people, not for fame or money."

"Alma," Hogar said. "He's like that. Best to keep danger away, after all. So, what are you doing here?"

"We must talk to Knight Will," Themis said. "It's between us only."

"Okay," Hogar said slowly. "Don't injure yourself, old buddy. Come on, Alma. Mom's waiting."

It was about time. Themis was literally melting under the hot sun. Sometimes she wondered how the fighters didn't mind the sizzling heat. She trotted into the shelter, heaving a sigh of relief now that the shade provided her with the much needed cool air. After what felt like a minute had past, she walked on into the office, ignoring the hostile stares that bored down on her as she approached Will and Aem.

"Hello Will," she placed her hands on her back, a smile surfacing on her face as he turned around. "It's been a while."

"Themis? Klavier? What are you guys doing here?"

"We're here to meet with this fortune teller named Amul," Klavier said. "Do you know where she is?"

"In the shrine located in the mountains, praying. I would advise you to see her this evening. So what is this about?"

"It's Klavier's robe," Themis took it off him. "Touch it. You'll sense a dark energy from it."

"You're right," Will said after holding onto it for a brief second. "I see a dark goddess's wicked smile along with the energy."

"It has to be bad news," Klavier said. "We need to confirm the message with Amul right away."

"Very well. I'll alert her at once."

"What? We need to walk all there?" Themis asked.

"We will go by carriage. But we must ascend by foot," Will said, putting on his helmet. "Aem, I'll trust that you'll cover me while I'm away."

"Very well," Aem said as they set off.

"You know, I'm surprised you have your own carriage," Themis said. "We should ride it more often."

"I don't hear you complain very often. How long did you walk?" Will asked.

"Five hours," Klavier said. "My village resides just beside the mountain and there's no form of convenience like this."

"Wait. So Themis is living with you?"

"I sold my apartment before I left," she puffed her cheeks. "I never thought I will return to this place."

"Oh. Okay. The carriage will cut short the time taken."

The long climb up was no stranger to Klavier. The path reminded him of the anxiety that ripped his heart when he heard from Aem's mouth of Maroma's actions. Monsters still lurked in every corner of the mountains, but they were not as aggressive as they used to be. At the summit was a well maintained shrine. It wasn't anywhere near as noisy or stuffy as the city, giving an air of peace and serenity that people would yearn to have from the busyness of city life. Klavier dusted his garments, giving a gentle bow to the altar as he entered before the shrine maidens rushed over to their assistance. Many of them wore clothing that resembled the typical kimono, a white robe and a red skirt that covered just about everything.

"Good day to you sir," one of the younger looking maidens said. "What brings you to this humble ground?"

"Is Miss Amul around?" Will asked. "I have business that I must speak with her personally."

"Amul is in the training grounds in the forest. You may find her there," she pointed at a path into the woods. "But please be careful. There are a lot of strong monsters waiting to kill you."

"She's got guts to enter into danger like that," Klavier said. "Come on, let's go."

"You have my most heartfelt thanks," Will said with a smile. "Klavier, you will do well to save your energy. I'll take point."

"Very well."

"You have my thanks," Klavier said.

"Err, if I may," the maiden said. "What do you intend to do when you meet her?"

"It's about this robe I'm wearing. It's got the message from the gods but I'm unable to read it even with the help of this sorceress. So, is it alright to lead us to her?"

"Sure."

It was not without a bit of reluctance. Maybe it was how Klavier dressed, or the way how he spoke that made the maidens look at him with suspicion and scorn, but whatever it was, he couldn't really pay attention to it. They walked across a path already carved out by the parted grass, leading them straight to the place that the maiden mentioned.

The sound of an agonized scream filled the air. Klavier's hand dropped to the handle of the black sword, rushing to the site where he last heard it. In front of him was a massive grizzly bear, its menacingly claws lifted high into the air towards a person dressed similarly to the maiden that was escorting them. But she remained unfazed at the onslaught, swinging her short blade with complete control, chipping off a part of its talons.

Her clean strike made the monster stagger, but it wasn't near enough to properly subdue it. In a fit of rage, the bear leapt towards her once more, this time, its fangs bared out for all to see. Klavier stood in front of the maiden, mumbling a spell under his breath as he forced the black sword out of its scabbard. The cutting edge slid across its firm flesh albeit only a shallow one that spilled little blood.

"Are you alright?" Klavier asked, maintaining his focus on the opponent before him.

"Umm, yeah," the maiden replied.

"That is why you shouldn't wander off into the forest on your own," Themis summoned her jewel staff.

"Should we finish it off or let it go?"

"Why, of course we should kill it," Themis said. "It threatened her life."

"Never mind, I shouldn't have asked," Klavier flipped the sword as he struck its neck.

It collapsed under the single fell swoop, sending shockwaves across the immediate area that knocked them off balance. He sheathed his sword, returning his attention to the shrine girl.

"My most humble apologies for the intrusion, Amul," he said. "I am in need of your help urgently."

"But why will Lord Dragon want a help from someone like me?" the maiden asked.

"Well," Themis took the blue robe off him. "That's because it's got something to do with magic. I'm not sure what the message is but I get a bad feeling about it."

"I see what you mean. But first, let's get back," Amul said.


	23. Ch 18 - Anima

The shrine maiden was anything but weak. She cut down numerous monsters that lurked in the corners, protecting them from ambushes that even Klavier did not anticipate. She only had one issue: her fighting techniques were appeared to be self-taught, leaving a lot of loopholes that could potentially be exploited by observant opponents. Klavier was pretty sure that she knew that problem herself, practicing diligently day in day out as her maiden friends claimed.

The group entered into the shrine, bowing to the shrine guardian statue that sat at the altar, its eyes looking straight at them. Amul sat down on the clean timber floor, ordering Klavier to show his blue robe for examination. He laid it out, every part of its fabric revealed before the maiden.

Fear was written all over Amul's face the moment she touched the robe. The energy was so strong that it ignited a flame on where her hand was, burning it until only black ashes were left.

"This can't be good news," Klavier concluded. "So, what was that about?"

"The gods are attacking," Amul said, unable to hide the grim frown on her face. "They come in numbers far beyond the capability of La Veda's defence can cope."

"I see," Klavier said. "We've got to warn them first in that case."

"We've got to hurry then," Will said. "Amul, I would like to request that you evacuate your people. We won't know when they will attack."

"Very well," she replied.

Klavier found himself staring at the ceiling. He tossed and turned on his wooden bed, but it done no good in making him fall asleep. The grim message of the invasion really got to his nerves. The humans did nothing to deserve such a punishment and yet they would dare to slay their own creation? It was anything but forgivable.

He needed answers. The gods couldn't have decided to kill the humans overnight. It must have been plotted over a long period of time, probably way before he came into existence. He got up from the bed, his eyes set upon the black sword that leaned against the wall. It was as though it was beckoning him over, shining luminously in the moonlight. Just as he was about to reach for it, a green orb of light hovered in between them, morphing itself into what appeared like a young girl wearing a predominantly lime green dress. There was a pink-purple ribbon attached on her back which kept the clothing together. On her head was a golden yellow tiara, blending with her wavy, dirty blonde hair color well enough to be hardly noticeable.

The curious one hugged his sword and attempted to sneak out of the room only to be stopped by Klavier's watchful eyes.

"Okay," he said slowly. "What in the world are you doing with my sword?"

"Uh oh," she mumbled. "Luna-!"

Like he would allow her to call for reinforcements. Klavier covered her mouth tight with his hand, forcing her arm to the back with the other. She let out a muffled shriek as he increased the pressure on her arm, eventually making her let go of the weapon.

"Shut up if you don't want to die," Klavier said. Even if he said that, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was messing with the wrong person.

"Let her go," a firm voice came from behind. There was something sharp poking his back, probably a lance for that matter. He turned around, looking back at another lady, probably in her twenties. Her hair was long, silky black that stretched all the way to the back. She wore a bare neck one-piece dress that was primarily purple and black mixed together. A long, purplish lance was pointed at him, the tip so close that he could feel the sting of its poke.

"What if I don't?" Klavier asked.

"I'll slice off those hands of yours," the gothic lady shifted her stance, ready for an all-out attack.

Klavier hooked onto the black sword with his leg, kicking it up high enough for him to grab onto it. He pulled the sword from the scabbard, blocking his opponent's strike just before it could cut off his right hand. The hostage by his side screamed at the top of her lungs, muffled by the tight grip of his hand over her mouth.

"You didn't consider your options carefully now, did you?" Klavier said. "I would have used this young lad beside me as my shield if I couldn't block it on time."

"Let her go," she gritted her teeth.

"I will if you will cooperate with me. So," he lowered his sword. "Who are you and what do you want with my weapon?"

"I'm Lunaris, one of the twelve Guardians," she replied, maintaining her stance. "The one you're holding onto is Luly. The gods call the spirit of Sirkius, saying that they need him at once."

"You could have just told me that," he pushed Luly back to her partner. "I'll have to go wherever Sirkius is needed. He doesn't work without his master as far as this is concerned."

"Really?" Luly snatched his weapon.

He raised his eyebrows, watching the kid examine the material she just seized with awe worn all over her face. That moment of victory for her soon turned in a rather agonizing one. The tip of the sword started to lower gradually even as she strained herself to keep it up. Yet it was futile – the weapon came crashing on the floor, trapping Luly's hand along with it.

"Sirkius is the kind that will go haywire if he is held by someone he doesn't recognize," he picked up the sword, sheathing it. "So, I presume I've already proven my point."

"Very well," Lunaris sighed. "Let's go."

She raised her hand, mumbling a spell under her breath. She ran the tip of her finger across the wall, creating a line on it. Light peeked out of the line. Lunaris sunk her hands into the line, pulling it apart to reveal a starry-night-like environment. Not a single human work and familiar earth ground could be found in there. Klavier took a step back, unable to shake off the doubt that started to dominate his mind. But before he could truly back out on it, something hard hit him from his bottom, launching him right into the portal.

"Seriously Luly," he heard Lunaris's voice. "You could just push him in."

"But kicking people's butt is fun!"

"No it's not," Klavier mumbled to himself, not minding the endless descent that had already stopped his heart for a split second. After what felt like a second, he landed onto a cold, black ground but not an ounce of pain was felt from the crash. He rose to his feet, his eyes making out a barely lit environment, fireflies being the only source of light in the area. The moving yellow bulbs of light eventually met with what appeared like a forest and in front of them was a piano that was well-worn with age.

"Before we can proceed," Lunaris said, closing the portal behind them. "We need to summon Sirkius out of that sword. I believe you have the know-how to do that."

"Yeah, show us your skills," Luly said.

"Luly, can you not interrupt me when I'm speaking?"

"Sorry."

"I see what you mean," he picked up a ragged music score titled 'Autumn Leaves'.

"Come on, play it! I heard its Sirkius's favourite song!" Luly said.

"It is. But he won't be happy to hear that he is needed."

"We'll take care of that once he comes out," Lunaris said. "Just get him out of his cage."

"You'd better not regret this," Klavier said as he begun at a soft, relatively fast pace. The moment he begun a moment of pause, other instrumental sounds not coming from his piano accompanied the music. But there wasn't really a moment for him to think about the sudden increase of support to the otherwise bland song. It wasn't a slow, soft ride throughout – he picked up the pace and volume, entering into a devilishly quick tempo that got Luly's jaws hanging.

As the song entered into its final moments, the sword on his waist rose into the air, glowing in a dark purple light that threatened to drown the fireflies. The power grew so much that flares of it whipped across the ground, creating visible, deep scars that struck everywhere but Klavier.

The evil aura emitted from the weapon slowly died down, leaving nothing more than the destruction the summoning did. In front of the piano was a black hooded figure, carrying exactly the same sword as Klavier's. Klavier couldn't see the eyes beneath the hood, but he was very sure that Sirkius was really irritated.

"How nice of you to disturb my long nap, master," the black hooded man said.

"That is Sirkius?" Lunaris asked.

"Not handsome at all," Luly commented.

"Err, greetings sir Sirkius," Lunaris said. "I'm Lunaris, one of the twelve Guardians and we're requesting for your help."

"Brush off, scrub. I wasn't talking to you."

"Wh-Why, you could just tell me off nicely."

"Little girl," his focus shifted to her. "Do you know what happens when someone summons me?"

"What?"

"There's no need to tell you that," he pulled the black sword hidden under his robes, raising it high into the air. Klavier stepped in between them, ripping the white sword out of its scabbard to block the strike when a wave of dark energy penetrated his feeble defence, blasting them both across the area.

"Is this the power you've been wielding the whole time, Klavier?" Lunaris asked, brushing off the burnt armor piece on her forearm.

"I don't usually use the full power, but I've encountered his strength enough times to know the kind of adversity he is as an enemy," he replied. "So, stay out of it. I'll convince him to help us."

"If you want my strength, then show me that you have what it takes to control this power of mine, master," Sirkius said, pointing his sword at him.

"You haven't changed a single bit even after fifteen years, Sirkius. Your master has grown old and feeble, but I'll show you again if it pleases you," Klavier replied.

The moment Klavier got into his combat-ready position, Sirkius was already right before him. Sirkius raised his sword into the air, ready to smash it down with all his might when Klavier took a step to the side, smacking him on the side with the scabbard.

"You're still too soft even after all these years, master," Sirkius commented, slashing all around him that caught Klavier off-guard. Blood spewed out from the shallow wound on his chest, the blade tearing a substantial part of his clothing.

But it was too early to submit. Klavier stepped aside, swinging his sword with all his might only for it to be blocked effortlessly by the hooded figure. He broke the clash, unleashing a flurry of slashes in an attempt to subdue Sirkius. Even his best wasn't enough – Sirkius evaded each and every one of the attacks, countering with a devastating cut to the back once Klavier ran out of steam.

"This is what happens when you summon me," Sirkius wiped the blood off the black sword. "I tolerate none less than perfection in the control of the sword."

"You talk quite a bit, you know that?" Klavier asked, slashing across his opponent's side before he could react. This time, it was deep enough to reveal a depression in his flesh. Sirkius jammed his teeth together as though he was suppressing the urge to scream.

"That small thing won't stop me," Sirkius said, bursting towards Klavier. But the speed was drastically slowed down, giving him enough time to evade the incoming attack with tiny step to the side before entering into a massively fast sword dance.

Klavier broke the clashes between them, sheathing his sword. Sirkius smirked at that sight, mimicking Klavier's stance. The moment they got into position, it was like time stood still as they waited out for the moment.

"B~oring!" Luly said.

At that moment, both Klavier and Sirkius pressed their right foot forward, rocketing their way to each other. Both of them swung their swords at a speed that it was practically impossible to see the angle of the swing. But all that could be seen was that Klavier was rooted on the ground at his final pose after executing the technique, his opponent sent high into the air before crashing down without any form of cushioning

"What? It's over already?" Luly asked.

"Shut your trap, Luly. It's not like it's so easy to use that technique," Klavier said.

"Dammit," Sirkius said, curling into a ball. "It still stings even after all these years."

"Right back at you, hothead. Come on, we need your help and we've done what was needed."

"I will," Sirkius rose back up. "My sword is yours to command."

"Very well. Lunaris, we've got his cooperation."

"Are you sure he will?" she raised an eyebrow, inspecting him closely.

"You have my word for it. But," he moved so close that Lunaris could see what was beneath the hood. "I can and will turn against you if I suspect something is off."

"Let's go already. Time's a wasting," Klavier said.

"Take this, master," Sirkius said, summoning a small, white orb of energy in front of both Lunaris and Klavier. The moment they touched it, a wave of refreshing energy swept through them, stopping the bleeding and regenerating the flesh that was destroyed in the fight earlier.

"You're a strange weapon soul, you know that," Luly said. "First, you beat the crap out of your master and my friend, and now you just healed them."

"Do you have a problem with that, kid?" Sirkius asked.

"No," she squeaked.

"Good."

"Now that we have his help, we now need to make Klavier masquerade as a Guardian of the gods," Lunaris said. "They'll be able to tell immediately if one is a Guardian to start, but I believe you can deceive them easily with your power."

"I see where this is going," Sirkius said. "Basically, you want master to be around just in case something screws up."

"Yeah. How did you know that?"

"I'm called a god for a reason."

"Okay," she said slowly. "So you know the grand plan already before I said it."

"Correct. I will go along with your plan. It's not the best, but it'll do for now."

"So what's all this about?" Klavier asked.

"We'll get straight to the point," Lunaris said. "The gods are suspecting Sodis, the leader of the Guardians of treason. We need to bring counter evidence if we're going to avoid him from being executed."

"I see. I guess we'll find out more information as we go along."


	24. Ch 19 - Will

All seemed well, at least for Lunaris and her group. They marched off into the distance, led by the firm hand of the gothic lady further into the abyss. An ephemeral being, hidden among the dark souls of the wilderness watched their every footstep. But not a single moment did she think of getting close to them. Her heart trembled with a fear she had not felt for a long time. He, who wore the black hood had finally awakened.

She moved as slowly as she could, keeping her footsteps light and breathing as shallow as possible so as not to attract Lunaris's attention. Blast that woman, covering them with her ever watchful eyes. Had it not been the case, she could have gotten even with her old adversary by now.

"Wait," the man who summoned her enemy said, raising his hand in the air as though he was signaling the group something. "I sense that we're being followed."

"Are you just being paranoid?" Luly asked. "It's not like this forest is dangerous or anything."

"So I can trust that you can stop whatever that comes should that being appear?" the hooded figure asked.

That was so like him, critical with just about everything. She could just her clenched fist ramming his cheek over. She raised her other hand, wrapping the fist as though she was trying to stop herself. No, it would do no good to resort to violence. If she could just get back at _him…_

Before she could even complete her grudging mental sentence, an unruly strawberry blonde haired man with creamy hazel eyes was staring right at her upside-down. He was so close that she could feel his warm breath against her cheek.

"Well," he grinned from ear-to-ear. "Looks like I found our stalker."

"Master," the hooded figure said. "I would strongly advise you not to touch her. Please."

"It would be shame if no one could," he examined her as though she was a specimen. "I mean, that snow-blonde hair sure is attractive."

"Umm," Luly said uncomfortably. "You would do well to follow that bugger's advice."

"What if I don't?"

"No!" Luly shouted, punching him so hard that he flailed back and forth like a piñata.

"Goddammit Luly!" Lunaris shouted. "Can you stop hurting our guest?!"

"Your words fall on deaf ears, my dear friend," the hooded figure said.

"Sirkius, I'm already mad as I am. I would like to ask that you don't make me worse than I am now."

"I just lost a tooth," he spat out a bloody one on his mouth. "Thanks Luly."

"I thought you didn't need them anymore, Klavier," she shuffled her feet with a silly smile worn on her face.

How could they be so casual around a being like her? The friendly atmosphere was something that she yearned for for three lifetimes. She opened her mouth to speak, but there was a lump blocking her throat. No, she wasn't about to allow her emotions get the better of her.

"Err, are you alright?" the person whom they called 'Klavier' asked.

"Master," the hooded figure said. "I must stress that you do not touch her."

"Why's that, Sirkius?"

"This," Sirkius plucked a leaf from a tree, tossing it down, watching it glide towards her hand.

A bittersweet feeling stirred in her heart. Sweet because it was a long time since she last saw life in its most graceful moments. Bitter because before she could blink her eyes, the leaf withered and dried instantly the moment it landed on her hand. The slightest movement of her hand crushed the very foundation of its life, crumbling into nothingness.

"So I believe I have proven my point," Sirkius said. "Let's go already."

"But we can't just leave her alone, right?" Klavier asked.

It was a kind of warmth that she had not felt for a very long time. In its most intense moment, her mental eye pictured the image of a person wearing a black robe, his hood undone and a radiant smile on his face as he offered his hand to her. But before she could study the person's face, the picture blurred beyond recognition.

"Err, miss," Klavier's voice shot her back down to reality. "Are you okay?"

"Um, yeah, I think so," she finally said with a soft, tender voice.

"What's your name? I'm Vanros Klavier."

"N-Neya," she bowed slightly, rejecting his offer for a handshake. "Pleased to meet you."

Neya appeared to be like an ordinary girl trying to make sense of the world around her. But with the constant reminder to stay away from her, he couldn't help but to think that Neya was alienated in several ways. Lunaris and Luly went ahead without him, reporting to the gods that Sirkius was already with them.

"Hmm," Sirkius said. "Lunaris is confronting Sodis now."

"How'd you know that?" Klavier asked.

"I know whatever happens around us. Anyway, I can let you see what's going on their side."

"Let Neya in the loop too."

"Very well," he snapped his finger, transforming the environment around them from the misty plains to a familiar ground where the high and mighty roamed about. Guards were scattered all over the place, laying prostrate before a man clad in white armor, wearing a red cape that easily distinguishes him from the rest. Klavier could only assume that was the men's leader by the way how he was respected to that degree. In front of him was Lunaris, her eyebrows arched inwards.

"Sodis, we need to talk," she said.

"I've been expecting your arrival," the distinctive knight Sodis said. "Is it about the accusations the gods made against me?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Guards," he raised his hand. "Please let us be."

Without a moment of hesitation, the protectors of the house surrounding them took their leave in an organized manner.

"The Twelve Guardians shall be present in this meeting too," Sodis said.

Sodis snapped his fingers, the sound so loud that Klavier could hear it reverberate across the confines of the walls. In just a matter of seconds, the remaining Guardians assembled before Sodis. They all had their own different appearances, wearing uniform colored according to their element.

"This better be fast," a flame-haired man said, shifting his brown mantle to a more comfortable position.

"Farlon, show some respect," a blue haired lady that appeared like a samba dancer said.

"Err, okay. Anything Ramna says…"

"Sodis, what is this about?" a green armored person said, a giant sword stashed at her back.

"Forgive me for taking up your precious time, Ophelia and friends. Here we are again, hoping to clarify what happened between the gods and myself.

"I'm all ears," a golden armored lady said, clenching tight on her spear.

"If you could put that away, Rina," Sodis said. "I would greatly appreciate it."

"My apologies."

"Alright, let's get started," Sodis said. "I would like no one but the twelve of us to know about this. That means that nothing shall come out of the four walls around us. Understood?"

"Alright," the Guardians said.

"Sirkius has gladly accepted to be part of the audience," Lunaris said. "He will be the one to judge whether you speak the truth or not, Sodis. He will then relay the message to the gods about the verdict."

"Very well, that is what I'll do," Sirkius said. "Lead the way."

Lunaris raised her hand to chest level, mumbling a spell under her breath. In front of her open palm conjured a small warp-like portal, replaying events where Sodis was caught in a massive library that only the gods had authorized access. He turned around with a panicked look, staring at the camera zoomed in on his covered face. By then, it was already too late.

Before anymore hard evidence of his forbidden actions could be presented, the warp closed on them. Sirkius looked around, staring at the faces of shock that resonated on all of the Guardians.

"What is this about?" Farlon asked.

"This," Sodis heaved a heavy sigh. "It's nothing really."

"But there was a god that noticed you there, how could it be nothing?" Lunaris asked.

"So then," he put his strongest foot forward. "Will you guys believe me if I tell you that the gods are planning to destroy humans?"

"What?" Ophelia raised her eyebrows.

"I'm sorry, that's a really bad joke. The truth is," Sodis said. "Curiosity got the better of me and I had the grace to scratch that itch when Sirkius allowed me to access the place. Nothing more."

"You know, leader," Farlon said. "You could have created a huge mess when you said that gods were trying to destroy humans. So, if you're going to crack a joke, don't talk about destruction and death."

"Farlon's right," Ramna said. "It got me scared for a moment."

"But if it's the will of the gods, who are we to oppose it?" Rina asked.

"Sirkius," Lunaris said. "Is Sodis speaking the truth? Did you allow him to enter the gods' library?"

"Of course," he said with a wicked smile. "But because of that, I was sealed away into a sword."

"Is it? Then why is it that Sodis is being accused for whatever you've done?"

"That is the business between the gods. As far as I know, the gods were really unhappy about what I did."

"So it wasn't Sodis's fault that he's accused of treason?" Ophelia asked.

"No. I will present myself to the gods the truth. You Guardians may rest easy," Sirkius said.

"Thanks, old friend," Sodis said. "Are there any questions you need to clarify with me?"

"We'll have to hope that the gods will drop their accusations against you," Sirkius said. "I'll do my best, no promises."

"Very well. If that's all, this meeting is over."

The moment he said that, the tense atmosphere around them lifted. Everyone sighed in relief, removing the invisible mask of seriousness into a more light-hearted one. Only Sodis, however, had his head low.

"Hey leader," Farlon wrapped his arm over his shoulder. "Let's go have some lunch. I'm really hungry."

"Thanks but I'm not hungry at the moment."

"Oh, okay. Err, if you ever go hunting, let me know, yah? Ramna, let's go get some meat!"

The end of the meeting was met with a never-ending ringing silence. A myriad of emotions flooded his head, leaving him stunned for a moment. He turned to Neya, who looked equally puzzled as him, but appeared to be more affected than him. It was as though Sodis might be telling the truth about the grand plan of destruction.

"Sirkius, is what Sodis said true?" Klavier asked.

"I would love to find out," he replied.

"So you don't know."

"What kind of god doesn't know the plans of the other gods?" Neya asked.

"A-hem. In case you don't know, I was wandering around Grand Gaia with master ever since he was twelve. The gods forbid me to return to their land for another one hundred years."

"Just like how you made me wander this wretched land for a hundred years too," Neya said. "I'm fine with it."

"You became a restless wanderer?" Klavier turned to Neya.

"It was because the gods decided her to," Sirkius said.

"Do you mind telling me your story then?" Klavier asked.

"Err, I'm not so sure," her voice slowly got softer with every word spoken.

"Alright. Sorry about that," Klavier said. "So, what now?"

"Sodis is seeking your audience, master. I'll summon him here right away."

A ring of blue light formed right behind Sirkius. As if materializing out of thin air, a man emerged from it. A blinding aura danced above his brow and he wore shiny white armor with engraved designs that could only come from the gods.

"You're Vanros Klavier, the Lord Dragon?" the knight asked.

"I am," he replied, exchanging a firm handshake with him.

"Let's get down to business. I believe that you watched us in the closed meeting between us Twelve Guardians, do you not?"

"I did. You got my attention there too. What is this about?"

"The humans in Grand Gaia is in danger. The gods are angered by the way how humans are hurting themselves and the land."

"I assume you got the information from their library?" Klavier raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. I can't imagine the amount of bloodshed and suffering they're about to give to them. We must act now. Or else we will cease to exist."

"I would like to. But first, what I want to know is that what you said is true."

"Yes. If Sirkius could gracefully allow me to use his powers, I will give you the opportunity."

"As expected of my friend Sodis," a slight grin surfaced on his serious face. "Very well. Let's do it."

He swiped his hand across, warping the environment around them into another abyssal-like place. In front of Klavier was piano well-worn with age. Wait, this had to be the same place that Lunaris first brought him in, was it?

"In case you were wondering," Sodis said. "This is the intermediate area where we Guardians transport ourselves from the gods' realm to Grand Gaia. It is also a place where we can see the past events of Grand Gaia."

"I see," Klavier stared at a song book well layered with dust, sitting on the chair in front of the instrument. "So what is this about?"

"This is the album containing the treacherous acts of the gods. Play the songs in it, and you'll get to relive the moments of the humans that bore the brunt of the gods' fury."

"T-That album," Neya stared at it wide-eyed.

"Neya, this is for the good of my master," Sirkius said. "Let him play it."

"But…"

"We're here, so we might as well," Klavier said. "But first, Neya, I seek your permission to play the songs."

"Err," she looked everywhere but him. "Err…"

"Can you trust me?"

"You promise, right?" she shuffled her feet. "Err, okay, I guess."

"Let's get going then. Time's a-wasting," Sodis said.

Klavier pulled up the wooden protector, revealing a dusty, cobwebbed keyboard. Spiders and rats had made their home on it, scurrying away the moment they saw him. He wiped it clean using his sleeve, placing the songbook right in front of him. He opened it, the first words of acknowledgements saying "To thee who plays it, thee shall prepare thyself for the truth."

"Right," Klavier said, flipping the page. "Let's begin."

It didn't take him long to read the music written on the thoroughly worn pages. Within a few seconds into the understanding of the song, Klavier started, albeit a little clumsy in the beginning. Sirkius stepped in, tapping on the side of the keyboard, giving Klavier the pace that he needed to roll with. As soon as he got used to the tempo, the consistent beats that Sirkius made was drowned out by Klavier's sharp but emotional music.

As soon as the song reached its ending, the environment around them once more transformed into a land where the human activity was prominent. Despite the immense number of people around, not a single one of them made a sound. Among the crowd was a girl that looked just like Neya, her face somewhat hidden under a translucent veil over her head as she walked past the rows of merchants trying to sell their merchandise to her.

"I see," Klavier said. "This is like a mere projection as to what happened in the past. So we aren't exactly in the scene per se."

"Is that… me?" Neya reached out to touch her face but her hand went through.

"It is," Sodis said. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah."

"This is by far the most crystal clear scene I could see," Sodis said. "All the other pianists that tried to help me could not produce this kind of quality."

"That's master for you," Sirkius said.

"If I may ask," Neya said. "Why is he called Lord Dragon?"

"The village he lives in regards him highly for his Dragon-style martial arts. His prowess in power got him to become a lord, or in another case, their leader."

"Hey, don't go talking about my title without my permission," Klavier said.

"My bad. Sometimes we've got to scratch that itch," Sirkius said with a slight grin on his face.

"Please, Lord Dragon. Please continue playing the songs," Neya said.

"Don't call me that. Just call me by my name," he replied, flipping to the next page, titled 'The Queen'. "Looks like this song is going to be interesting."


	25. Ch 20 - God among Mortals

Even if Klavier wasn't looking at the projection screen ahead of him, he saw himself walking from the back of a certain hooded figure. The person wore a predominantly black cloak, clad with set of matt armor. On the left of his waist was a strikingly familiar sheathed sword protruding out of his long sleeves.

He idled around in the tavern, downing another pint of booze in a single gulp. The crowd around him roared enthusiastically as he put down the latest cup to a huge stack on his right. In front of him was an armored person who was far more muscular than him. On his back was a flame-colored great sword and a set of fiery red wings. Just like the hooded man, his face was concealed by a jester's half mask.

"You're good, you know that?" the flame armored guy said, letting out a belch that stunk the room for a good few seconds.

"You should know by now that I'm great at this," the hooded man said, wiping the excess alcohol off his lips. "So, you're paying now, aren't you?"

"Hell no. I'm not yet done. Hey, one more pint."

"Sorry sir," the bartender said. "But we're out of booze."

"What? Hey kid, I don't like liars," he pulled the bartender up by the collar.

"How do you know that he is lying, Zero?" the hooded man asked.

"Shut up, Sirkius. If I don't get that last pint of beer…"

"You'll have to pay," a smirk surfaced on Sirkius's face.

"But sir, we really ran out of beer…!"

"Can you hear it?" Zero cracked his knuckles. "My hands needs to hit something."

"There he goes again," a medium-high pitched voice trailed from behind.

Sirkius turned around, his eyes set upon a person that wore a blue navy-like outfit, with a fitting skirt and high black stockings to cover her legs. Stashed on her waist was a rapier and a slender, small pink pouch. She pinched Zero by the cheek, twisting it so hard that he was forced to let go of the bartender.

"What was that for, Isole?!" a small teardrop of pain rolled down his eyes.

"You're about to hurt somebody innocent. Do you think I'll let you off easily?" she asked.

"Sheesh, shut up already crazy girl. Fine. I'll pay," Zero pulled out his wallet, cursing and swearing under his breath as he paid up for all the booze that they drank earlier.

"What else should you say?" she leered at him.

"Sorry about just now," the prompting brought the other patrons into a rouse of laughter.

"In any case," Sirkius stood up. "Let's make a move already."

"With your current state of drunkenness?" Isole asked. "Please. You're only going to make yourself a laughing stock if you go out there. For goodness sake, it's only noon and you drank as though it's at night!"

"You should know by now that I don't get affected by alcohol that easily," Sirkius demonstrated his claim by walking perfectly straight as opposed to Zero who struggled to maintain his balance, bumping into tables along his way.

"Geez," Isole punched Zero on the face hard enough to knock him out cold. "You're going to cause more problems awake than asleep."

"You have my thanks for taking care of that brute," Sirkius said, opening the door that led them out of the tavern. "So, where to now?"

"We should find a resting place for us to sleep in," Isole said, carrying Zero on her shoulder like he was a sack of rice. "We'll only begin our expedition once Zero is ready."

"Sounds like a plan. Follow me, I know a place where we can retire for the night."

It had been hours of non-stop walking, searching for an inn to rest for the night. It wasn't because SIrkius forgot where the inn that he was talking about was, just that it was the festive season in the Arcades Kingdom. That meant that all the resting spots were taken up by tourists and that left nothing for the trio. Sirkius could hear Isole swearing like a sailor, dragging the huge lump of meat that she knocked out earlier after her back started to hurt.

"Sirkius, if I have to move this guy for another hour, I'm going to make you carry him," Isole said. "Where's the inn you're talking about?"

"They're all full, including the ones that I regularly visit," he said.

"How do you know that when we did not even step into it?!"

"My gut feel," he returned a sheepish smile.

"You're crazy," she lifted her leg to chest level, kicking the door of yet another inn so hard that it flung open.

"You know, you could just knock on the door," Sirkius said softly, ignoring the startled stares the people made inside the giant house.

"H-How may I help you, ma'am?" an aged innkeeper asked, shaking almost uncontrollably at the intimidating stare of Isole.

"Can we stay for the night here?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, but it's full house today."

"Why?"

"The nobility is staying here for a few days and they came in overwhelming numbers. We would like to accommodate more but we don't have the means to," he bowed apologetically.

"Great," Isole said slowly. "We'll have to stay in the streets then."

"Aren't we the poor things?" Sirkius asked with a slight grin peeking out of his hood.

"That's the only option left, no?"

"I guess so," he shrugged.

"What's the commotion down there?" a voice of authority trailed down from the second floor.

"Looks like we made a few people angry," Isole raised her eyebrows slightly, putting down Zero to slouch at one corner. "Well, let's see who these people they call 'nobility' are about."

"Are you sure you want to pick a fight with them?" Sirkius asked.

"Are you implying that you're scared?"

"More like concerned of our own welfare."

"That's a very convenient way of saying that you're scared."

Before Sirkius could rebuttal Isole, a young lady with silky, snow-blonde hair walked down the stairs, glaring at both Isole and Sirkius as though she saw a criminal. Just as Sirkius was about to turn around and make a run for it, the noble's eyes softened slightly before greeting them with a smile.

"Are you travelers?" she asked.

"Ugh, miss, please, not too close," Isole said.

"Yes we are," Sirkius bowed. "We deeply apologize for causing a ruckus here."

"Mister," the noble called the innkeeper. "Would it be alright if I share my room with these people?"

"Most certainly," he answered, brimming with confidence.

"There he was telling us that there's no space," Isole grumbled.

"He is technically correct," Sirkius said. "We should be grateful that this lady here," he glanced at the noble woman. "Is offering her space for us to stay in for the night."

"What's your name?" the noblewoman asked as they made their way to their room.

"Sirkius," he replied with a slight smile.

"Neya," she offered her hand. "Princess of the Arcades kingdom."

The images conjured on the massive screen before them came to an abrupt stop, not because the music was not playing, but everything started to go off beat to the point that he had to halt. It was only then he took notice of his hands trembling from the lack of rest ever since they first entered into the realm of the Guardians. The conscious reminder to remain in composure simply wouldn't cut it anymore.

"Is everything fine?" Sodis asked.

"I need to take a rest," Klavier said. "I don't feel too well."

"As far as this is concerned, I don't think we can leave the room without completing the album. The pianists that played the songs without finishing the whole book died from an unknown disease shortly after they left the room for a rest," Sodis said. "So, the best bet we have is to let you rest here."

"I just need a bit of time. No one is leaving this place until this is done anyway."

"In that case," Sirkius sat beside Klavier. "I'll take care of it until master's ready to go again."

"Can you really do it?" Klavier asked.

"In case you don't remember, I was the one who taught you how to play the piano," he returned a wicked smile. Neya stared at him with probably the most dumbfounded expression Klavier has seen.

"Are you serious?" Neya asked.

"I'll let the music speak to you," Sirkius flipped the page backwards to the very top of the song where Klavier ended up stumbling on. The images on the screen remained still, moving bit by bit as the melody rung in their ears before going into full speed the moment he struck the point where the animation was interrupted.

The scene opened to a place where Sirkius sat in front of a grand piano in an observatory. On his side was Isole, trying to produce sounds apart from screeches on her violin. As if that wasn't bad enough, the place was an enclosed area and that meant that the horrendous sounds made by Isole bounced off the walls to create a music that made Zero cover his ears.

"Seriously, Isole," Zero said after she was done with it. "Please stop it. My ears can't take any more of that!"

"You should encourage her," Sirkius said. "Princess Neya wants us to sound good for the event tonight."

"I don't recall signing up for this," Zero said. "I'm a mercenary, not a freaking musician."

"Well, she'll pay us good if we pull it off."

"Is it?!"

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? I would have put this crap together to give you the most awesome beats Grand Gaia will hear!"

"I believe I said it during our stay in the motel. Apparently you didn't hear me."

"That's your problem now, Zero. Meanwhile, I'm still trying to figure out how to use this," Isole looked at the violin.

But time was running short on them. No matter how much they practiced the song that Neya requested, only Sirkius was able to figure out how to play it while the other two struggled to the point that they gave up. With the princess's reputation at stake, Sirkius couldn't just let it stop them. He walked out of the observatory, navigating his way around the maze-like paths where maids and butlers roamed around completing their task at hand. He walked into the first kitchen that he saw, taking two cups, filled them up with water and sprinkled some dust on it. He mixed it with his finger, turning around to return to the observatory when a maid stared at him wide-eyed and her jaw hanging open.

"Good day to you, ma'am," a slight grin surfaced on his face.

"Y-You could have just used the spoon in the utensils rack, sir," she said without batting her eyes.

"I see. But I'm already done mixing the sugar in the water."

"Okay," she said slowly. "I'll pretend that I didn't see that."

"Have a good day," he said, taking his leave with the two cups of water.

By the time he returned to the observatory, he saw both Isole and Zero sitting side by side, leaning against the wall and looking up with dreamy eyes.

"…We're not going to make it at this rate…" they mumbled to themselves in a zombie-like manner.

"Hey guys," Sirkius said. "I brought some drinks."

"But I'm not thirsty," Zero said.

"Just take it. It'll make you feel better."

Without a moment of hesitation, Isole snatched it from Sirkius's hand, gulping it all down with just one breath. Zero took his shortly after she finished hers as though he didn't want to lose out to Isole for her initiative.

_Perfect_, Sirkius thought. Now, all he had to do was to wait for the event at night and everything else would fall in place.


	26. Ch 21 - Conspiracy

It was the one thing that Sirkius dreaded. He entered the ballroom wearing a tuxedo suit that the butlers and maids forced him to put on under the orders of Princess Neya. His untidy blonde hair was combed backwards, revealing his huge forehead and bright blue eyes that left the maids stunned for a split second.

"Thank you for bearing with us, sir," the butler said. "You should be ready now for the dinner party now."

"You have my thanks," Sirkius said. "Can I bring my weapon by any chance?"

"I'm afraid not. However, we can assure you that your belongings will be kept safe with us."

"Alright."

The moment he walked out of the room, he was greeted by a super buffed guy folding his arms, leaning against the wall. On his right eye had a scar of a vertical slash and a cross scar on the left of his forehead. He stared at Sirkius menacingly before joining him in the party.

"Good evening Zero," Sirkius said.

"Right back at you. Have you seen Isole?"

"Not yet. She should be at the next room."

Sirkius turned to the door next to him. He knocked on it gently, leaning forward to hear the subtle noises within the room only to hear squeaks and growls instead of the usual greeting that Isole would say.

"Is everything alright there?" Sirkius asked.

"Err, yeah," Isole replied, opening the door with a nervous expression on her face. "But we've got a tiny problem."

"Which is?"

"Kaw! Kaw!" a penguin a third the size of Sirkius pounced onto him as though it was trying to protect Isole.

"Isole," Zero frowned. "How did these blasted animals get here?"

"I've got no clue. But aw," she cuddled the other one that was not busy attacking Sirkius. "You guys!"

"Isole, in case you don't know," Sirkius pulled the penguin off his forearm, watching it flail its wings for a split second. "We've got a few more minutes before our performance is due."

"Performance," both Zero and Isole looked at him with utter dread.

"Come on guys. We'll get paid well if we do this."

"Does that mean…more booze?" Zero asked.

"Yep."

"Then," Zero slammed his fists together. "Let's do this!"

Sirkius and his companions entered the ballroom that was wide enough to be host a five hundred man party, tall enough to hold a huge multi-tiered candle ring.

"This place is the real crap," Zero said. "This is the first time I'm seeing such a bright place."

"No time to get surprised," Isole tugged him along. "We've got money to earn."

"Don't expect much," Sirkius said. "We're just covering the musicians that are supposed to be here."

"Very well," Zero picked up the guitar. "I guess we should…err…do our best?"

"I'm feeling the jitters too," Isole said, picking up the violin.

"Don't worry," Sirkius gave them an assuring smile as he took his seat in front of the grand piano. "We'll bring the house down."

He heaved a sigh, beginning the song with a soft, melancholic tune that turned heads in the ballroom. He picked up the pace, prompting both Isole and Zero to join him to create a synchronized set of music that pleased their ears. Sirkius looked at them for a moment, taking pleasure behind their thoroughly surprised looks on their faces before shifting the tempo again.

After their set of three songs, the crowd entered into a soft round of claps. Among those who were the most impressed was Neya and a middle aged woman by her side. They stood up, giving the audience a bow before taking their leave for the next group of musicians to take their place.

"Did you just hear my performance?" Isole asked. "It doesn't sound like I'm screeching for once!"

"I'm glad," Zero said. "I was about to put on ear plugs in case it actually happened."

"Why you…" Isole was about to send a flying kick to Zero's face when Sirkius grabbed her by locking her shoulders against his.

"Please, you're wearing a skirt," Sirkius said.

"You guys," Neya approached them, almost unable to contain her excitement. "Thank you so much for your help!"

"Don't mention it," Zero said. "We're just doing our job."

"So, are we able to take our leave?" Isole asked. "We're pretty much done here."

"Actually, I would like you to stay a little longer," Neya said. "Mother would like your audience."

"Really?" Zero puffed his chest out. "Well, that's a big honor alright."

"May I go to the rest room for a while?" Sirkius asked.

"Err," Neya looked behind for a moment. "Sure, but make it quick. The queen doesn't like to wait."

"I see. It won't be long."

But that was a mere excuse to get himself away from all the cheer that the ballroom had. There was an ominous energy manifesting itself towards the place where all the high profile nobles were. He walked towards the source of where he felt the power, ignoring the blood trails and corpses that belonged to the guards. He kept his footsteps light, his ears picking up agonized cries of a guard before metal cutting through flesh and then a soft thump.

"Are you sure about this, Leyn?" a voice echoed.

"Do you doubt my work?" another voice asked.

"No, sire. I was just…"

Sirkius picked up another sound of flesh sliced open by a sword. This was bad. He turned around, his mind reeling over nothing but Neya's safety as he walked back quickly to the ballroom. He reentered the giant hall, meeting up with both Neya and the queen with a smile that easily disarmed them.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Sirkius said. "What would the queen like of us?"

"I would like to apologize that we're taking up all of your precious time. Please, tell us about yourself," a middle aged woman that looked similar to Neya said with a wide grin.

"I am Sirkius. This is Zero," he gestured to the mega buffed man. "This is Isole," he pointed at the lady beside him. "We're basically travelers that are keen on exploring. We pick up a lot of things and skills along the way, one of them being what you saw earlier."

"No wonder it doesn't sound native," the queen said. "It's really impressive. Would you perform again if you have the chance?"

"Sure. But we'll be leaving by tomorrow."

"Alright. Thank you. Please enjoy the party. There's a lot of food to go around."

Sirkius withdrew from the crowd the moment they were dismissed, ignoring the invitations both Isole and Zero made to dig in. The killing intent was starting to strike his nerves. He could find out the source of the hate at once, but not in front of all the humans. He was about to get out of the ballroom when his nose picked up a subtle smell that relaxed his body intensely. The concentration of the gas was not nearly strong enough to destroy his composure but it was for the people in the room.

"Why am…I so…sleepy?" Isole collapsed before she could take in another bite.

"Isole, Zero!" Sirkius shook them but they did not respond. "Hoi, wake up!"

"What's going on?" Neya could barely sit up properly but it wasn't long before her body succumbed to the sleeping gas.

"Good," the same voice he heard from the hallway earlier said. "Clear this place. That includes Neya and the queen."

Now Sirkius was curious. He hid under the table, crawling slow enough to prevent himself from being heard. He grabbed hold of a bread knife lying on the floor, tailing one of the men so close that he could practically smell that guy's body odor. But with the knife too blunt to even be suitable for a stab, he swung it at the person's neck, knocking him out cold before he could turn around.

"Weak," Sirkius mumbled as he crept up to another one of the armed men, thrusting his blunt weapon onto the head. He collapsed instantly upon impact, leaving a loud series of metal clangs that attracted the attention of their allies. They turned to Sirkius, fear written all over their faces before pointing their swords at him.

"Hey guys," he smirked.

"How the heck is a normal noble like him able to tolerate the sleeping gas without the magical enhancement?" one of the men asked.

"I'm sorry, did I scare you?" Sirkius lowered his bread knife. "Also, if you're going to attempt to make me fall asleep, you're going to need a stronger type than this."

"Ugh, my head," he heard Neya's voice from the distance.

"Lord Leyn!" the man shouted. "Your orders?"

"Kill him," a noble carrying a bloody rapier said.

"Don't do it," Sirkius said. "I'll spare your life if you will lower your sword."

The squire under Lord Leyn started to hesitate. "B-But sir…"

"Do as I say," Leyn said.

"You sure know how to push your men," Sirkius said, taking a step to the side, evading the nervous attack effortlessly. He turned to his adversary, swinging the bread knife onto the neck that knocked the living daylights out of him.

"So," Sirkius widened his footing, flexing his fingers at Leyn. "Come on. I'll take you out with this cutlery."

He appeared to be accepting Sirkius's challenge. But before they could even think about bursting towards each other, the giant hall started to fill with soft moans and groans. Leyn gritted his teeth, rushing out of the nearest exit. Sirkius burst into a chase, reaching out for the noble's cape as he jumped down the great height. He clenched his fist, but the piece of cloth slipped by, leaving him to his deathly jump.

A sense of emptiness filled the void as adrenaline ran dry on him. Sure, he was able to prevent anybody's blood from spilling. Even so, he had that nagging feeling that this was only the beginning of a nightmare.

The room was filled with a ringing silence. With the final image of the scene fading into the blackness of the screen, all that was left from all that was the aftermath of his fear. Everything that happened on that night did make sense since Neya did not remember a single thing about that incident. But to recall such a bitter memory, it would have taken Sirkius an enormous amount of willpower to relive through it and now he was left paralyzed at his seat, his hands away from the keyboard.

"I'm sorry," Sirkius said. "It's still really painful to recall these events."

"I should be the one saying sorry," Sodis said. "For making you guys go through this."

"Sirkius, you've done enough," Klavier asked.

"But master…"

"It's okay. I'll take care of the rest," a disarming smile surfaced on Klavier's exhausted face.

"If you say so," Sirkius moved aside, allowing Klavier to take over the seat.

Klavier begun the next song with a tinge of gusto, laying out a set of medium-high pitched sounds with a set of matching bass before entering into the melody. The melody was so well refined that it sounded as if there was a girl singing to cover the background music Klavier was producing. But before Neya could study the magic that was unfolding in front of her, the images started to form on the projector once more.

It returned to the same black hooded figure's back that Neya was staring at before everything came to a standstill earlier. He stood on the streets, handing over a small sack of money over to one of the merchants that wore a turban, exchanging it with an item that was concealed beneath a brown cloth. He opened it, revealing a plain leather bracer. A slight smile surfaced underneath the hood before he exchanged a firm handshake with the equally pleased merchant. He walked off to one of the alleys the moment the transaction was complete.

"You're late, Sirkius," he heard a voice.

"Sorry, Zero," Sirkius took off the hood, revealing a beard that thickened with time. A set of wrinkles found its way on his forehead and his skin was not as elastic as a youthful man was.

In front of him were the same two companions, Zero and Isole. Both had signs of ageing on their faces, though Isole's pace of ageing appeared to be significantly slower than Zero's, making her look just like a thirty-year old woman while Zero a fifty-year old man.

"You know," Isole said. "It's been twenty years since we set foot on this land."

"Arcades Kingdom," Zero said. "It's changed a lot since the time we left. Heck, I bet the Queen Neya has kids already."

"She ought to have a few if this kingdom is to survive," Sirkius said. "Well, shall we pay a visit?"

"Fine by me," Zero said. "I bet she misses me."

"Why just you?" Isole asked. "You're already way beyond marriageable age to even start."

"Speak for youself, spinster."

"Call me that again and I'll push that Adam's apple of yours into your damn throat!"

"Come on you guys," Sirkius stepped in between them. "Queen Neya's not going to like it if we're fighting among ourselves."

He put on his hood, walking among the shadows of the buildings as if he was trying to hide his existence from the kingdom. Isole and Zero, however, took to the streets, wearing their usual garments that made them stand out very easily among the crowd.

The festive mood was most definitely in the air. Even so, Sirkius couldn't shake off the weird sensation churning in his stomach. Guards roamed around the place everywhere even in the event area when it normally wouldn't be the case. They seemed to be on a lookout for something, their hand always on the handle of their weapons. Sirkius emerged out of his hiding, staring at the countless faces covered by various masks that sent a chilly vibe down his spine.

"You feel it too, don't you, Sirkius?" Zero asked.

"The high security around the perimeter isn't called for. What's going on?" Isole said.

"It would be best not to ask the guards directly," Sirkius said. "You know how to gather information easily, don't you?"

"Hmph," Zero scratched his nose. "Easy as pie. Come on, Isole."

With the duo out of the way, Sirkius sat down on an empty bench. Beside him was a small group of well-dressed nobles with their half masks on, talking so loud among themselves that it was easy to pick information from their conversation.

"Good day to you, Lord Leyn," a young lady dressed in a purple, frilly dress said.

"You look good today, dear friend," a soft chuckle followed afterwards. "So, are you guys enjoying the party?"

"Of course. But my lord," an unrecognizable male voice said. "The guards roaming around in broad daylight is disturbing our peace. I mean, I understand that our safety is of utmost importance but their presence is just ruining it."

"I see. My deepest apologies for this. I hope you understand that Arcades Kingdom cannot afford another catastrophe that happened two years ago."

"Catastrophe?" Sirkius mumbled to himself.

"Is this about your stepsister, my lord?" the male voice said.

"Yes. But we shall not discuss what happened here. Besides, the wine will go bad with this topic."

"Ah. I should be the one apologizing, my lord."

A catastrophe that involved Leyn's stepsister. Sirkius had a feeling that he knew this person very well in the past, but no matter how hard he tried to recall it, there was not enough information to dig it out. He stood up from his seat, keeping his footsteps as light as possible as he made his way out. He glanced back at the small crowd, his stare meeting the glare of scorn of Leyn's as if he was allowing Sirkius to listen to the conversation the whole time. He brushed off that twisted feeling, escaping into the shadows of the city.


	27. Ch 22 - The Curtains Must Fall

Hopelessness. It was that sinkhole he was trying to avoid from dwelling in ever since things went south since their arrival into the once familiar land. It was already evening but Isole and Zero were yet to get back to him about their findings from the rumors going about in town. The ringing silence was killing him. He needed answers and fast if he were not to get caught in a spiral of frustration that was building up from the start. He picked up the black sword, leaving the inn with his hood on.

"Hey Sirkius, I told you to wait for us," a familiar voice trailed from behind.

"Zero," he turned around, trying not to sound too startled at his unexpected return.

"Well, I got you the things that you need to know. Come on, I'll tell it to you at the room."

Sirkius heaved a sigh, following him back to the place where he came from. Zero sat on the bed, maintaining a serious look throughout the silent exchange they had before he closed the door behind them.

"Alright, do you want to hear the good news or the bad news?" Zero asked.

"Begin with the bad one," Sirkius answered.

"The ruler of this kingdom is King Leyn. I'm not sure if I met him before but I do recall hearing his name at least once."

"Leyn," Sirkius's expression darkened. "I know that guy."

"You do?"

"That guy was the one who tried to kill everyone in the ballroom. I was the only one who wasn't affect by their sleeping gas spell."

"You mean that time when we had a party with Neya and the queen?"

"Yes."

"Damn it. I should have known."

"Anyway, what's the good news?"

"We are able to contact Neya from here through this thing called telepathy," Zero dug out a small seashell from his pocket. "I don't know how this works, but from what I heard, you can hear Neya's voice in it."

"Huh? What kind of nonsense is that?"

"You should try it to believe it," he returned a geeky smile.

Sirkius took the seashell, placing it at his ear and heard nothing but wave-like noises.

"Hey, you're not screwing with me now, are you?" Sirkius glared at Zero.

"I'm not!" Zero said.

At the same time when Zero said that, there was another soft voice that came out. "Huh?"

"Isole's not back yet, right?" Sirkius asked.

"No."

"Then why am I hearing a girl's voice?"

"T-That's Neya speaking over there!" Zero said.

"Neya?"

"Who's that?" a faint voice echoed from the seashell.

"Sirkius. Vanros Sirkius."

"Sounds familiar…"

"Never mind. What happened to you?"

"I don't know if I should tell it to a complete stranger…"

"Tell me where you are. I will be there shortly."

"The prison underneath the palace. I will be expecting you, whoever you are," her voice tapered off, allowing the wave-like noises to take over. Sirkius lowered his hand slowly, his mind reeling over the new location that Neya lived in.

"Zero," he put on his hood. "Tell Isole that I'll be back late."

"Where are you going?"

"To the royal prison."

"I'm going with you."

"No. Neya is expecting me alone," Sirkius stashed his wide array of weapons into his cloak, leaving the room before he could hear anymore protests from Zero.

Royal palace security was never an issue with Sirkius. The place had not changed at all even after all these years, allowing him to entered the complex with little struggle and through the tightly secured perimeters. But the easy part was entering the building. Guards roamed around the narrow hallways that was well lit, making stealthy entrances to the dungeon extremely difficult. Even so, he restrained his trembling hands from straying away from his side, hiding in the shadows when he could to prevent unnecessary bloodshed.

The smell of salt dominated his senses for a brief moment. He looked to the side, watching the pike man lower his weapon, wiping his face with his hand and flicked it at Sirkius's direction. He restrained the urge to react to the salt that found its way to his tongue, as the patroller continued his path while grumbling over the long work shift. With the only person guarding the entrance to the dungeon away from sight, Sirkius hurried down the stairway, leading him to a long stretch of flat ground, where prison cells dominated more than half of the land allocated to it.

But the prisons he was expecting to see was nothing more than a deathbed. Dead bodies sprawled everywhere behind the bars, some were nothing more than bones, and others were being decomposed by maggots. The stench was so strong that he had to cover his nostrils with his finger as he threaded through the land of death. It would take a miracle for a prisoner to live in this wretched condition without going mad.

"Who's there?!" a piercing voice shattered the ringing silence. His eyes could make out a sharp tip pointed at him from the distance.

He heaved a sigh, donning a white clay mask from his cloak to conceal his facial appearance. Sirkius whipped out a blade hidden under his bracer, approaching the brightly lit spear tip and punched straight ahead. The moment his arm was fully stretched, the sound of metal digging into human flesh and bones filled the air followed by a soft, agonizing scream.

Sirkius looked at the guard whose eyes were wide open, staring into space as blood flowed out of the stab wound on his forehead. He walked past the corpse, careful enough not to step on the body as he searched the prison cells visually for Neya. She had to be around here somewhere since he got the feeling that he was entering a very deep part of the prison.

After what felt like an eternity had passed, Sirkius had reached a dead end. Before him was a single cell that housed a prisoner that had chains attached to a deadweight ball on her. She was terribly skinny, probably did not eat for months now and barely surviving with what little water was left on the tiny concrete bowl beside her. He squat down to take a closer look at the now desperate woman before him, taking off his mask so she could identify him better.

"Neya, is that you?" Sirkius asked. "It's me, Sirkius."

"So you are Sirkius…I've been waiting for you for fifteen years," she reached out for his hand, trembling as his warmth resonated with her ice cold fingers.

"What happened to you? Why are you in prison?"

"It's a long story."

"Can you summarize it?"

"My stepbrother left me here to die. He said that my power was of no use against the gods that were coming to attack us and used my people against me," she choked in her tears as she recalled them. "They called me a monster. When did I deserve such a treatment? I don't deserve to die here…"

"Don't worry," Sirkius said. "We need you to get healthy first before we can help you get back what was taken from you."

"Sirkius," she tugged his black cloak as he turned around. "Just what are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I sense a power in you that is grander than any human's."

"I don't know what you are talking about," he put on his mask.

He pulled out the black sword stashed on his waist, revealing a small stretch of black cloth hanging on the butt of its handle. He slashed across the prison bars, shattering its foundation before breaking it open with another strike. She looked at him with intense awe as he stepped over the metal that once kept her inside. He slashed the chains that bound her to the deadweight before sheathing his sword.

"What are you doing?!" she asked as he carried her up.

"Getting you out of this place."

"But Lord Leyn will…"

"He should know very well that he should treat his stepsister properly even if she is a prisoner. How dare he make you starve. He will get his retribution that much I will guarantee."

He walked down the hallway out of the underground prison, being careful enough not to engage into combat with Neya on his arms. But that proved impossible with the chains attached to Neya's limbs clanging at every single step that gave their position away. Before he knew it, he was already surrounded by the patrolling guards.

"Sirkius…!" he heard her panicked cry as he gently put her down.

"I'll take care of this," he replied, drawing his sword out.

"Intruder! Sound the alarm!" a guard shouted, his voice so loud that it bounced off the walls.

"You know," Sirkius took a step forward. "You could take some lessons on learning how to be quiet."

Without a moment to waste, he bent forward, thrusting his sword through the heart of his first victim, sending a wave of panic across the men surrounding him. The narrow isles made it impossible for them to swing their pikes properly, allowing Sirkius to slash their torsos when they jammed it in the cavities of the stone bricks. With all but one left, he pointed his sword at the terrified militia. The guard charged forward with his knife, slashing down in a wide arc that left his chest wide open. Sirkius dropped his sword, throwing a punch to the neck. Blood splattered at the point of contact as the last man collapsed to his knees before laying to rest among his comrades.

"There's no time to explain," Sirkius said as he picked her up. "I'll tell you more about it later."

With the garrison now on high alert, it was practically impossible to get out stealthily. He charged through the main entrance, attracting countless men to him. This time, he couldn't afford to fight as freely as he did earlier, now that guns were already pointed to him.

"Put that girl down or we will shoot!" one of them said through a loud hailer.

"Is it really impossible to make a run for it?" Sirkius asked.

"Just do as they say, I'll be fine," Neya said.

"No can do, my lady. I came here to get you out of that mess. I'm not going to just hand you over without a fight. Aid me in battle, Belfura," Sirkius's eyes glowed with intense yellow as a gust of wind amassed from his side, morphing itself to a woman. Behind her was an ice dragon, its red eyes matching hers. She summoned her lance, swinging at the guards like a controlled puppet.

"I'm leaving it to you, Belfura!" Sirkius shouted as he make his escape.

"Whatever you say, Sirkius," she rolled her eyes, stabbing one of them on the abdomen.

The moment he bolted through the courtyard, a piercing loud siren filled the air. The alert siren was sounded. At this rate, he would have to plough through the entire army just to escape unscathed.

"There he is!" he heard Zero's voice beyond the horizon.

"Leave it to me!" Isole's voice was heard from the same origin. "Go, my penguins!"

"How is it able to survive a climate warmer than the artic?" Sirkius mumbled to himself when the two penguins of the size of a shoe approached him at a speed of a bullet. They head-butted him so hard that he could feel his innards shake violently under the impact. But there was no time to get angry just yet. The penguins laid down on their stomach as though it was offering him their backs to step on.

"You're not going to squash them with your weight, are you?" Neya asked.

"Don't worry about them. We always do this," he stepped on them, prompting them into a sudden burst of speed that shot them through to the end of the bridge in an instant. The moment they were a close enough to hug each other, the penguins jolted to a halt, sending Sirkius crashing to a brick wall head first.

The penguins rose to their feet, flapping their wings with intense anger on their faces before charging towards him.

"That's what you get for leaving us alone," Sirkius translated their angry cries, shielding his head with his arms from their deadly beak attacks.

"How do you know their language?" Neya looked at him suspiciously.

"We've been in adventures together for a very long time," he said when one of the penguins' beaks sunk into his leather braces.

"That's enough you two, Illy and Alec!" Isole pulled the two birds away from Sirkius.

"Dammit Sirkius! You should have brought us with you!" Zero said.

"Now's not the time for this," Sirkius got back to his feet, ignoring the small trail of blood running down his head after that crash. "We've got to hide. The inn's not safe a refuge for Neya."

"I know a place for that," Isole said. "Bring Neya here. I'd figure we'll need your power to fend off the hostility built around us, Sirkius."

"I guess you're right," he handed Neya over to Isole. "Zero, cover our backs while I'll cut us a path."

"I like the sound of that," a wicked smile surfaced on Zero's face.

Sirkius pulled the black sword out of its sheath, its blade pointed at the countless guards that had already formed a blockade on their only way out with their bodies. He heaved a sigh, mumbling a spell under his breath as he drew a card out.

"Come to thy aid," he threw the card up, slashing it into two. "Seraphim."

The broken card shifted shapes, and as if materializing out of thin air, another woman about the size of Sirkius emerged from it. A blinding aura danced above her brow, wearing the shimmering white armor. Long, golden brown hair, immaculately smooth skin and jet black eyes – an appearance that wasn't possible for normal humans to have.

"What brings you to summon me, Sirkius?" she asked, her stare not letting up on him.

"I'll need your help to get us out of this sticky situation," he said with a slight smile. "You can do that for us, right?"

"You did something stupid again, didn't you?" she rolled her eyes.

"I guess so," his answer provoked glares from Isole and Zero. "But yeah, you can trust me, right?"

"Very well."

"Hold your lines!" the captain of the platoon shouted as the soldiers backed away when Seraphim advanced.

"Cut us a path, Seraphim," Sirkius raised his sword high in the air, slamming it down on the ground. She mirrored his motion in perfect synchronization, sending a massive wave of blinding light towards the blockade. As the light died down, not only was the blockade cleared, but also the bodies of the guards were nowhere to be found.

"Illy and Alec," Isole commanded the penguins. "Get us out of here with your speed."

Without a moment of delay, they passed the leash to Isole, binding themselves to it as Zero hugged her from the back. Sirkius was about to hop on when the penguins bolted away, leaving nothing more than an empty feeling in his heart.

"Damn those penguins," his hand trembled with so much that it itched to knock onto something.

"Those penguins must hate you if they deliberately left you here," Seraphim said. "Why not you use your godly power for this?"

"No. It's too dangerous to use it here."

"Very well. I'll lend you my strength."

"Thanks."


	28. Ch 23 - Expelled from Paradise

He underestimated them. The enemies were more familiar of the terrain and better equipped than he was, making them capable of cutting off the many routes he initially planned. To make it worse, the soldiers came towards him unrelentingly. Their drive could be felt in their battle cries; they were willing to give up their lives just to prevent him from getting closer to his objective. But that wasn't about to stop him from slaying them and moving on to his next point.

"Oi, Sirkius," he heard a voice in his head. "I know you can hear me. So listen up."

"Zero?" he mumbled to himself.

"From where you are now, you should take a detour to the right. The enemy is massing up at the main road and it'll be impossible for both you and Seraphim to plough through."

"Sirkius, the seashell," Seraphim said. "Use the seashell to communicate with him."

"Right," Sirkius pulled out the seashell from inside his robe, placing it gently against his left ear. "Hello? Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, cowboy. You heard what I said just now, didn't you?"

"Yeah, turn right and run through the alley."

"That's your best bet of escaping this shithole. Hurry up, Neya's condition is deteriorating fast."

"What's happening to her?"

"She's been starving for way too long. The last bit of food we had was eaten by the penguins."

"Those idiots…"

"Be careful, Sirkius. The enemy is smarter than they look."

"I noticed that. Alright, I'm on my way. Seraphim," he slid to a halt, turning to his right before blazing off once more. "Hurry up."

"I'm amazed that you still have the stamina to sprint even at that age," Seraphim said. "But isn't it time that you relied on that latent power of yours?"

"You already know how destructive it can get. I'm not risking the innocent peoples' lives just for my own sake."

Their foes were closing in fast. The alley they ran down on was increasingly getting thicker with guards that were trying to corner them off from their only escape route. He could try cutting them all down, but his body wobbled with exhaustion and his lungs were about ready to burst from overexertion.

He looked up to the rooftops, staring at the countless crossbows that were already locked and loaded, the bolts pointed at them. Their only path to escape was now blocked by a massive line of guards, both elite and regular ones.

"Sirkius…!" Seraphim looked at him desperately.

"My, my," a recognizable, male voice said. "So you're finally cornered. Vanros Sirkius."

"Leyn," he turned around, staring back at an elaborately dressed knight that carried a rapier on his right hand.

"What are you going to do?" a smirk surfaced on Leyn's face. "Can't you see the situation? You're surrounded. Why not you just give it up?"

"That's something that I cannot do," Sirkius said.

He put on the white clay mask, pointing his sword at the soldiers in front of him.

"Bellow, Seraphim," he said.

Seraphim relaxed her stance, unleashing a deafening roar that was accompanied by a wave of black energy that ripped through the ground, shredding all those that were in its way. He swung his sword at the buildings, slicing through them like a kitchen knife would to butter. Panicked cries filled the air as the fighters that once had him cornered were now scrambling away from his wrath.

"Let's go," Sirkius tugged Seraphim by the hand, putting back the mask inside his robe, dashing past the distracted guards.

"What the hell are you doing?! He's getting away!" Leyn's voice bounced off the many walls around them as they took advantage of the crumbled defences.

He turned to the left, diving behind a fruit cart as an endless stream of bolts and arrows flew towards him only to miss him by an inch. Seraphim swung her sword across the walls, forcing the guards situated at the rooftops to retreat as the foundation crumbled on them. With their snipers out of the way, Sirkius picked up his black sword once more, charging towards the exit where Isole and Zero were waving at him frantically.

"Seraphim, give me a boost," Sirkius said.

"With pleasure," she placed her hand on his back before propelling him forward with a simple push. The force was so great that he was sent towards Isole and Zero at a speed of a bullet. The penguins jumped out of the carriage, a sly smile surfaced across their faces as they raised their beaks high in the air in complete anticipation of his arrival. They slammed their beaks down, rooting Sirkius to the ground just an inch away from their escape vehicle.

"You guys had to do that," Sirkius mumbled to himself, his face heavily bruised from the crash landing.

"Come on, you lump of meat!" Isole tossed Sirkius into the carriage. "Zero, go for it!"

"Alright," he whipped the horse into motion, forcing it to move fast enough to get away before the bridge could close itself on them.

Sirkius didn't mind the constant bumping of the vehicle, but he did mind the evil smiles the penguins made when they looked at him. As if they knew he was about to fall unconscious from fatigue, both of them pecked at his forehead in an alternating fashion until he forced himself up.

"Damn you two!" he grabbed onto one of them, sending a wave of panic to the other. "You had to abandon me at that wretched place, didn't you?!"

"They remain unapologetic over their actions," Isole said, rubbing the other one's head with her knuckles.

"I could see that."

"Leyn," Neya said softly.

"Don't worry about him," Sirkius said. "We managed to get away safely."

"No," she pointed at something behind them. "Leyn."

Fear jolted up his spine, compelling him to turn around. Right before their eyes was an elaborately dressed knight, a wicked smile evident on his face.

"Zero! Stop the carriage!" Sirkius shouted but the vehicle continued moving forward. It was then he noticed the Zero's body slouched forward, blood splattered all over the window behind him.

"What do we do?" Isole asked.

"The penguins, ask them to shake Leyn off using…whatever they can use."

Without a moment of delay, the penguin opened their mouths, sending a fire ball directed to Leyn. As if he was already anticipating it, he let go of his grasp on his right hand, evading the projectile with ease. He pulled out his rapier from the scabbard with the free hand, thrusting it through the thin wall but missed Isole's body by an inch. There wasn't any time to think things through; Sirkius forced his sword out, slashing one of the wheels into two that brought the vehicle into a grinding, bumpy stop. But it did more than just stop, the carriage overturned, leaving them buried under a pile of wood and metal. Sirkius kicked his way out, but his comrades were not nearly as strong as he was.

The penguins pecked their way through the wooden rubble so quickly that Sirkius couldn't even offer his hand to help them. They turned to the rubble where Isole and Neya were, using their sharp beaks to weaken the foundation of the wood for Isole to break free from.

"I knew that I can count on you guys," Isole praised the penguins.

"I'd love to praise them too, but now is not really a good time," Sirkius raised his sword against his adversary.

"You could at least address me properly, for I am king of this land, Vanros Sirkius," Leyn said.

"You're one shitty king to make your step-sister go through hell."

"What do you know about it?"

"Everything. But it's something human minds cannot grasp easily so I'll spare you the lecture."

"Hand over Neya."

"Why do you I'll do that?"

"Stubborn as always, no? In that case," Leyn's sword glowed with a purplish aura. "I'll take her back by force."

He slammed the rapier down to the ground, throwing a slash wave towards Isole so fast that there wasn't any time for her to react. Sirkius zipped through the ground faster than the attack, grabbing Isole and Neya at the same time before escaping the power's range.

"Imbecile," Sirkius gritted his teeth, ignoring the jarring pain culminating on his shoulder.

"Have you thought this through, Sirkius? The fact that you carry one of my properties means that you're a thief, and I should punish the thief. That includes the comrades that you have been with throughout this."

"When did humans became properties? Gods will be clearly angered if they hear this!"

"This isn't about gods. Hand over Neya now!" Leyn swung his sword across Sirkius's torso, tearing it open for blood to escape.

"Over my dead body!" Sirkius retaliated with overhead slash but the attack missed the target by an inch.

Leyn performed a low sweep, toppling Sirkius over. He raised his sword high in the air, thrusting it down with all his might towards Sirkius's heart. He rolled away, grabbing onto the rapier that paralyzed his movements. He pulled Leyn up, sending a flurry of muay-thai-style-kicks to the side that forced him on his knees.

"Checkmate," Sirkius had his sword raised in front of Leyn's neck.

"Hmph, I always knew that you had an odd way of fighting. But that's about to change," Leyn seized the white clay mask hidden under Sirkius's robe.

"Hypocrite. You tell me that I'm a thief and you dare take my own property," Sirkius said.

"It's not like I didn't know your true identity the whole time, my friend," Leyn said as a purplish aura circled around him. "The power circling around me is the proof I need to show you that the man protecting you, Neya, is not a man, but a god!"

"What?" she said.

"Those wretched gods that have forsaken us humans to fend for ourselves, here is one in the flesh," Leyn's sclera turned back under its influence.

"No, that's not true," Neya raised her head with all her might. "He's not those kind of gods..."

"How do you know? He might be treating you well now, but what about in the future?"

"How naïve of you to say that," Sirkius said, tapping his forehead gently. "I would never dare hurt humans with scorn."

"There you go denying it again. I'll show you-"

"-That you can handle my power?" a gust of wind gathered around Sirkius at a strength greater than Leyn's. His irises turned blue, and the sclera black as he mustered all the power that laid hidden within him.

"Sorry, Isole, Neya, Zero," Sirkius looked back at them with those terrifying eyes. "I've kept this from you for so long. But it'll be over in a second. I promise."

With his enemy still distracted by the massive inflow of power, Sirkius rushed towards him, slamming down his sword only for it to be blocked effortlessly. A smirk surfaced on his opponent's face as he kicked Sirkius on the abdomen that sent him rolling across the ground. It was then he knew that Leyn was a force to reckon with.

But that mattered not. He stood back up, evading the devastating crash of Leyn's that created a small crater around it. Sirkius swung his sword across his arm, but not a single trace of blood came out. Instead, his blade grinded against it like he was trying to cut open metal.

"If you're wondering about how I can remain in control," Leyn crossed swords with him once more. "It's simply because I know the power just as well as you do. Besides, you've never used this god's strength of yours for a long time now, didn't you?"

"Of course, I'm a little rusty," Sirkius broke the clash between them.

"We're going to change that," he gathered a pool of magic around his right hand, unleashing the energy towards both Isole and Neya. Without a moment to waste, Sirkius stood in front of them, his sword raised up but it missed the fireballs badly, forcing him to take the shots that burned on his body.

"Are you alright?" Sirkius asked.

"Y-Yeah," he turned around, staring back at the frightened expression on Isole's face.

"If you don't want that to happen again," Leyn said. "Then release all you've got!"

"That's a sure way of getting yourself killed, you know that?" he pointed at Leyn with his index finger, a ball of red light culminated in front of it.

The once confident Leyn was now rooted in fear of his impending doom. He raised his rapier in a desperate attempt to defend against the swelling ball of doom. Sirkius fired it, unleashing an intensely condensed beam at Leyn, burning through his feeble defense like a knife through hot butter.

As the beam died off, Leyn remained standing, his body thoroughly charred and the mask shattered into tiny bits. Not a single garment was left on him, the rapier was all that was left. He dug his sword to the ground, refusing to fall to his knees as Sirkius approached him.

"You're still alive simply because my power allowed you to," Sirkius said. "So, do you want to die here and now, or face a lifetime of misfortunes for provoking a god?"

"Hmph, I hate people like you," Leyn coughed out some blood. "Acting all high and mighty when you finally won…"

"Answer the question, mortal."

"How about screw you?"

"My patience runs thin on this land. I've decided. Not only will you die early, but your people will suffer infinite misfortune. Your souls shall forever be trapped in this cycle of hell since you so love the environment."

"Sirkius," Isole said. "You're joking, aren't you?"

"Does my eyes tell you that I'm joking?" he returned a fierce glare.

"N-No…"

"You've done well thus far, Leyn. I sincerely wish you all the best handling all the disasters that will befall this land."

Ever since they escaped out of Arcadas kingdom, Isole, Zero and the penguins created an isolated mansion that was close enough to the nearest kingdom, La Veda. While they had since led a quiet, easy life, Sirkius could not settle down, not after reflecting over the punishments that he made to the very land that he created.

He watched the Arcadas kingdom crumble under Leyn's leadership. The land became barren and water became poison. Even the elite was not spared from the plight, driving the people away from the place that was once their home. Their efforts to relocate were wasted, with the various neighbouring countries unwilling to take them in for a myriad of reasons. It was too painful to continue watching. A change was needed, and he knew exactly who to send.

"Sirkius, your hot tea is ready," Neya said, entering the massive hall that housed a grand piano and other musical instruments. She came in, looking as healthy as a normal young woman should, wearing a French maid dress as though she was trying to attract his attention. She placed the tray on his table with a sincere grin across her face.

"Thank you," he took a sip. "Bitter. The way I like it."

"You should thank the penguins since they were the ones who did it."

"They sure look more competent than they appear to be."

"Yup."

"You know, Neya," Sirkius said, looking out at the window. "It's been twenty years since we left Arcadas kingdom."

"How are they?"

"They?"

"The people."

"They've had it hard. Leyn's been long overthrown but that didn't solve their local problems at all. More capable leaders tried to turn the grim situation around but all they could really do is to pray for help," Sirkius said.

"Aren't you going to help then? Isn't there anything we can do?"

"I'd love to help, but my body is far too old for me to comfortably move around anymore. But I know that you can do it in my place."

"What should I do?"

"Become the next ruler of Arcadas kingdom," his eyes met with a determination that burned passionately in her eyes, something that he had not seen in a long time. "But bring this with you," he took out his black sword, its blade covered with a scabbard.

"Why do I need your sword?"

"Because with it, it will cleanse the land of the curse I made."

"It's not enough a reason for me to take it. Are you sure that the people will listen to me?"

"They will. Their hopes and dreams are the same as mine. Go on, take it."

"I-I'll be the ruler of Arcadas kingdom," she accepted the sword.

"Go. Your people are awaiting your return."

He had never seen Neya become so energetic in his entire life. But it wasn't like he didn't expect it. After all, there was no place like home.

Klavier could feel his hands trembling the moment the song reached its final note. There was a sense of relief now that he had already completed the final song in the album but at the same time, the truth was unsettling. It was then that he understood Sirkius's overly cautious attitude; He didn't want to trigger another catastrophe as the past showed him.

"Is it over?" Sirkius asked.

"Yeah," Klavier replied.

"So you now know the past behind us," Sirkius leaned against the wall. "What are you going to do with this newfound knowledge?"

"I don't know yet. But I do know that there is hope for us Man."

"Very well. I'll follow you to the end. Just remember," Sirkius's body dissipated slowly, returning to the original black sword form. "Don't ever look back."

"That won't happen," Klavier picked up the black sword, stashing it into its scabbard. "Right, shall we go?"

"What about Neya?" Sodis asked.

"Well, she has two choices. One, to follow me. Two, to stay here," Klavier said. "So, which one is it?"

"Um…" she looked everywhere but him. "You don't look like a bad person…"

"How rude," Klavier's eyes widened as Sodis burst into laughter.

"In any case," Sodis rested his hand on Klavier's shoulder. "The rest is up to you. Neya, do help him out. He's going to need more than Sirkius from now on."

"I'm not sure about this…"

"Sirkius would definitely tell you to have confidence in yourself," Klavier grabbed Neya by the hand, but this time, the erosion curse that was supposed to burn his hand failed to trigger. "Come on, we've got a lot to do."


	29. Epilogue

Luly was acting strange. In more than a single occasion, he caught her with a silver tray containing a pot of tea, two tea cups and a bread pile so huge that any normal person would not be able to finish it on his own. It had been a week since he noticed Luly's increased food intake. It wasn't just breakfast; she took triple the portions of lunch and dinner too.

Perhaps it had something to do with her growing appetite since she was a growing child. But if that wasn't the case, she'd definitely be putting on some weight which was something that he was yet to see.

"Um, Luly," he scratched his head. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"What might be disturbing you, Farlon dear?" she said.

"You sure are taking advantage of the buffet style meals that we are enjoying. Aren't you concerned of your own weight?"

"Well, I do burn it off when I can. See?" she flexed her biceps. "There's nothing to worry about!"

"Then why are you taking back so much food…?"

"Because I tend to get hungry in the middle of the night."

"But that doesn't justify the amount that you're taking…"

"Well, I'm still growing, you know? I'm not like you, who is already a full-fledged adult that has a girlfriend," she smirked.

"Okay," he said slowly. "I'm most certainly looking forward to your transformation, glutton."

But Farlon wasn't about to let it slide like that. He hid behind a wall, watching her take several pieces of bread and butter. A dark, weird feeling swirled in his stomach as she seized two T-bone steaks from the buffet table. _Just how much could that woman eat in a single night?!_

He needed to know more. Then again, if Farlon got caught tailing Luly, who knew what Sodis would do to him. Or worse, the Twelve Guardians would label him as a stalker. He shook his head, brushing those thoughts aside. His 'stalking' activity had a reason. What others would eventually think of him would be irrelevant.

He followed her all the way back to her room but before he could intercept the door closing on him, she slammed it on his face. Farlon covered his mouth as he suppressed the intense desire to scream after what felt like a merciless punch to the face when the wood smashed his nose.

No, he won't give up this investigation yet. He pressed his ear against the wooden door, straining his ears to pick out anything apart from Luly's voice. There had to be more than just Luly in that room of hers if she would bring back so much food. Please, let it be true…

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" he heard Luly, followed by a soft metal thud.

"Thank you!" another voice said, a lady's one that was for sure.

"Bread would have been enough for me," a third voice said, but he couldn't identify the man's tone. "But thank you for the food."

"Aw, come on! You two need to eat!" Luly said.

Now he couldn't help but to be intrigued. There was not one, but two people apart from her in the room? That could explain the reason behind her 'immense appetite'.

"Oh, Luly, Luly," a sinister smirk surfaced on Farlon's face. "What could be that thing you're hiding?"


End file.
